Push and Pull
by Melodiee
Summary: Zuko pretends to join Aang to help him defeat the Fire Lord, but what happens when someone captures Zuko’s heart for real? Do his loyalties change as well? Picks up where Season 1 left off. ZukoxKatara ZK Zutara
1. Chapter 1: A Good Plan

**Title: **Push and Pull  
**Category: **Avatar: The Last Airbender  
**Author: **Melodiee  
**Genre: **Romance/Action/Adventure  
**Rating: **T  
**Summary:** Zuko pretends to join Aang to help him defeat the Fire Lord, but what happens when someone captures Zuko's heart for real? Do his loyalties change as well? Picks up where Season 1 left off. ZukoxKatara  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Much thanks to the creators of Avatar for giving us such a wonderful playground.

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**Push and Pull**

Chapter 1: A Good Plan

"_Iroh is a traitor, and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a mission for you."_

Zuko opened his eyes and stared up. His back felt sore from sleeping on the hard, wooden raft. Night had fallen, and he could see the nearly-full moon, silvery and bright, outshining the sparkling stars that studded the black velvet of the sky around it.

"Feel better?" Zuko groaned and turned his head to see his Uncle Iroh standing a few feet away from him. He came over beside Zuko and crouched, offering Zuko a water canteen.

"What's going on?" Zuko mumbled. He could hear shouting and the clank of metal on metal in the distance. Slowly, his muscles aching, he sat up and took the water. Sighing, Zuko tilted his head back and drank, slaking his thirst.

"Admiral Zhao's disappearance disrupted the Fire Navy fleet," Iroh replied calmly. "They've been in disarray without their leader."

_Zhao._ He'd been sucked up by the ocean spirit, Zuko remembered. He also remembered the way he'd reached out at the last minute, trying to grasp Zhao's hand. A moment of weakness. Zuko cursed himself. It wouldn't happen again.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh said quietly.

"What?" Zuko asked, trying to stand up. A wave of dizziness left him feeling light-headed, but he ignored it.

"We are traitors to the Fire Nation now," Iroh said simply.

_No._ Zuko refused to believe it. He ignored his uncle's words, asking instead, "What do you think is going to happen now, Uncle?"

Iroh gazed at his nephew for a moment before answering. "Fire Lord Ozai already sent reinforcements shortly after the primary fleet left for the Northern Water Tribe. They will be here soon, along with a new admiral to lead the fleet Zhao left behind. You are not safe, Prince Zuko. Your father will want his soldiers to hunt you down now that they know you are alive."

"Why would he," Zuko spat. "He doesn't care what happens to me."

"You can't interfere with his plans to capture the Avatar himself."

Zuko sighed. "My sister."

"Princess Zula?" Iroh asked.

"Yes. My father will send my sister after the Avatar. And after me," Zuko said bitterly. He gave a short laugh. "Ironic, isn't it? After two years, my father is the one who wants to find _me_."

Iroh said nothing. They heard a blast and then saw a fireball streak across the sky and crash into the deck of a ship, splintering the wood and setting the ship ablaze.

"We have to go back to the ships," Zuko stated.

"Yes," Iroh agreed. Zuko continued like he hadn't heard his uncle. He seemed to be talking to himself.

"We can't stay on the raft. We have no food, no supplies." Zuko finally looked at his uncle. "How much time has passed?"

"You were asleep for nearly a day, Prince Zuko," Iroh replied. "I believe it won't be a long wait for the reinforcements to arrive. Less than a day, maybe."

Zuko nodded. His mind worked furiously. "You stay here," he told his uncle. "I'll go on the ships and take some supplies until we can come up with a better plan. Try to surround yourself with icebergs so you can stay hidden."

Under cover of night, Zuko slipped into the chilly black seawater and began swimming to the noisy inferno that raged up ahead. The fires had grown taller and taller, the orange flames reflecting in the ocean. Zuko could see that several ships had already been destroyed, either by fire or by toppling catapults. They had sunk beneath the surface, leaving behind only debris that littered the ocean swells around the remaining ships. Every time Zuko came up, gasping and sucking in the cold night air, he could hear shouts above the roar of the fire.

Zuko came closer, heading towards several ships that remained virtually untouched by flames. Many of them had collapsed catapults that dangled over the sides of the ships, and it was an easy matter to find one with sufficient rope for him to climb. Zuko quickly scaled the side of one ship and hurled himself over the railing, coming to rest in a soaking, crumpled heap on the ship's deck. Zuko panted heavily, trying to catch his breath. He breathed out a couple of fireballs to help warm himself. _No time_.

Zuko stood up, intent on heading below deck to see if he could find some blankets, but before he could take another step, a fireball rushed past him, barely scraping his side. _Good thing my clothes are wet._ As it was, the fire's contact with his soaking clothes let off a burst of hissing steam. Zuko turned around to see his attacker. He saw a slender figure, dressed in a Fire Navy uniform, advancing towards him. Curious, Zuko lit up a fire in the palm of his hand. He gasped when he recognized the illuminated face.

"Well, well, what have we here? Little Prince Zuko is alive, it seems," Zula smiled evilly. "I wonder what Father dearest would want me to do? I'm sure he would tell me to kill you, to end your pathetic excuse for a life right now."

Zuko glared at her. "Don't be stupid. He wouldn't want me dead." _Banished, maybe, but not dead._

"Oh really?" she asked silkily. "Then why was he so pleased to learn that your ship had gone down in flames, hmm?"

"You're lying," Zuko said through gritted teeth. "I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want, dear brother," Zula said condescendingly. "But you forget that I am the one who saw him less than a week ago. When was the last time you saw him, _Prince _Zuko?" she said his title mockingly. "He never loved you, anyway. You were weak, unfit to call yourself royalty," Zula said scathingly. "_I_ am the only one worthy to call him Father."

"Shut up," Zuko said coldly.

"No. I don't think I will," Zula said decisively. "I think I'll do you a favor and just _end_ your suffering." Lightning-fast, almost too fast for Zuko to follow, Zula stepped forward, lifted her arms, and sent two fireballs hissing through the air at his face. Zuko ducked, barely dodging the fireballs in time. Enraged, Zuko turned and kicked, sending a stream of fire at Zula, who threw up a flaming shield that ate up Zuko's fire before it could even come near her.

Zula laughed lazily. "You were never a match for me, dear Zuko. Why do you keep trying? Maybe this will give you something to match your _lovely _scar." She pushed outwards, and a huge wave of fire came hurtling towards Zuko. Zuko quickly sent up a bar of flame that divided the wave in two so that it rushed by on either side of him. Zuko could feel the intense heat from the fire. Sweat broke out on his forehead. Zula laughed again.

"That was _good_!" she said mockingly. "I see you've improved since the last time I've seen you. But tell me, brother dear, what do you plan on doing now? You've lost your ship and your crew. You're a traitor to your country. The Fire Nation would never take you back as their prince—" Zula was cut off as Zuko let out a roar of rage and fired off two whips of flame at her head. Zula dodged the attack easily, moving with skill and grace. "Now, now, Zuko," she scolded him disdainfully. "You wouldn't want to lose your temper. You could do something _terrible_, like hurt yourself. What will you do now, hmm? Join the _Avatar_ and try to take down the Fire Lord?" Zula laughed derisively, as if the plan were the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard.

Zuko leaped at her in a blind rage. "How dare you!" he hissed, his fists bursting into flame. Zuko couldn't believe what his sister had suggested. How dare she question his loyalty? How dare she imply that he would turn his back on the Fire Nation? He wanted to _hurt _her, to make her take back her words. She didn't know anything about him. Anything at all.

And neither, Zuko slowly realized, did the Avatar. The Avatar, that peace-loving fool, would probably be overjoyed if he pretended to be angry enough at his father to turn his back on the Fire Nation. _Do you think… we could have been friends? _Zuko snorted at the absurdity of the airbender's question. Yes, the Avatar would believe him; he was so _earnest_, so damn _trusting._ Pathetic fool.

"What's the matter, Zuko?" Zula taunted as Zuko stood on the deck of the ship, unmoving, his fists at his sides. "Figuring out that you can't possibly hope to defeat me?"

In a flash, Zuko made his decision.

"Good-bye, dear sister," he said coldly. Zuko threw a fireblast at the wooden deck beneath his feet. Immediately, the fire roared into life, eating away at the dry wooden planks. Zuko gave Zula a mocking bow, then turned and leaped off the ship.

As he crashed into the icy water, Zuko could hear Zula's scream of rage. _You thought the water wasn't good enough for you. You thought it would weaken your firebending. Too bad you never learned to swim. _Zuko smiled with grim satisfaction. If he were lucky, the ship would totally crumble with Zula still on it, and she would drown in the arctic waters of the ocean, completely out of her element. Zula's scream went on and on, but Zuko was already swimming away from the ship, ducking his head beneath the surface of the water, kicking, and alternately coming back up to suck in air before his head went down again.

Zuko arrived back at the raft. Iroh had managed to maneuver it into a small semi-circle made up of icebergs. He was sitting serenely in the center of the raft, meditating. The palms of his hands faced the sky, and twin fires in each grew larger and smaller with each breath that Iroh took. When Iroh heard Zuko's splashing, he opened his eyes. Zuko climbed back onto the raft, panting and coughing. He grabbed at his clothes, trying to wring the water, the cold, from them.

"Is this what you've brought back, Zuko?" Iroh asked, amused. "We do have quite enough water, but it's nice of you to bring more."

"Zula!" Zuko sputtered. "She's here. She saw me. I had to escape. I—I can't go back. She'll be looking for me."

"What do you plan on doing now, then, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked calmly.

"You," Zuko said after a moment. "You can go back. You weren't banished. And the soldiers trust you."

"I wouldn't leave you, Zuko," Iroh refused.

"I'll be okay, Uncle," Zuko said. "I have a plan. And I need to do it by myself. Alone."

"A plan?" Iroh questioned.

"I'll join the Avatar." When Iroh raised his eyebrows, Zuko continued. "I'll pretend to be angry that my father sent my sister to kill me. Angry enough to want to take down the Fire Lord myself. The Avatar will believe my pathetic offering of peace, the naïve fool."

"Are you sure this is the only way?" Iroh asked gravely.

"I don't have anywhere else to go, Uncle. I can't go back to the ships. I can't live on this raft forever. And this way, I can stay close to the Avatar. He'll _trust_ me," Zuko said mockingly. "I'll stay with him until you send reinforcements to help me capture him."

Iroh didn't speak for a few moments. A curious smile was slowly spreading across his face. "That," he finally said, looking at Zuko, "is a good plan."

Zuko nodded. "I'll rest here for tonight." Zuko lay back down on the raft and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. As confident as he was about the Avatar believing him, he couldn't help the tiny worries that wiggled into his mind. _What if the Avatar refuses to believe me? What if he tries to attack me and capture me?_ Well, Zuko thought, he was more than a match for some little boy. Yes, he could definitely beat him if it came to that, even if he were the Avatar. He was nothing but a child. A puny, foolish, _pathetic_ child. He had nothing to worry about. Calmed, Zuko turned on his side and drifted off to dreamless sleep.

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**A/N:** I've planned this fic out, but I'm uncertain whether or not I'll keep writing it if no one is reading. So please, please review if you like it so that I will be motivated to continue. XD Thank you so much. 


	2. Chapter 2: Repair, Heal, and Intrude

**A/N:** You guys honor me.

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**Chapter 2: Repair, Heal, and Intrude**

Katara looked to her left and right. At Master Pakku's nod, she raised her arms in concert with the other two waterbenders, and together the three of them raised a towering wall of water. Katara struggled to concentrate, to hold each droplet of water in place with her mind. In a few seconds, Master Pakku had frozen the water into a solid ice wall. Katara breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her arms. The day had started out easy enough, but the sheer amounts of water she'd had to hold up were draining. Katara had long since lost count of how many walls she'd helped repair.

For the past couple of days since Aang's ocean spirit had driven away the Fire Navy fleet, Katara had been helping the Northern Water Tribe rebuild its damaged city. Remnants from the battle were everywhere. Large sections of the city lay in ruin, melted by fire or crushed by tanks. A layer of dark gray soot coated everything, and ash, like dirty snowflakes, still drifted down in some places.

Sighing, Katara moved to the next section of broken down wall and prepared to bend more water. She was cut off when Master Pakku spoke.

"Why don't you take some time off and help the healers, Katara?" he suggested kindly, noticing the tired look on her face. Katara smiled at him gratefully.

"Okay, but please call me if you need anything," she agreed. Katara left the other waterbenders and made her way to the large chamber that housed the wounded. Katara ducked her head as she entered, her senses suddenly assaulted by low moans and the coppery smell of blood. Cots were lined up in rows, most of them occupied. Young women scurried about, bringing hot water, healing herbs, and bandages to the patients.

"Katara!" someone called to her. Katara looked up to see Yaguda, the healer woman, hurrying towards her, bundles of white cloth in her arms. Her mouth was smiling, but Katara could discern the exhaustion and worry in her eyes. "Thank goodness you're here!"

"How's Airi?" Katara asked. The recently-orphaned eight-year-old girl had been burned badly by an errant flame, and Katara had been tending to her ceaselessly. Katara had helped heal a lot of patients, but somehow Airi had touched her in a way the others hadn't. Maybe it was Airi's eternal optimism and sparkling eyes, the way the little girl could still laugh even when she could barely move. Maybe it was the way Airi reminded Katara a little of herself, of the way she was before the Fire Nation had taken both her mother and her father away from her. _Airi lost her parents to the Fire Nation, too._

"She's okay, but her burns aren't healing as fast as I hoped they would. You can see her in a bit, but please take these," Yaguda handed Katara the pile of cloth in her arms, "to the line of cots over there." She inclined her head towards the eastern wall, where Katara could see tumbled, blood-soaked sheets.

She approached the first man and helped him sit up in his bed. Scratches and tears dotted his bare chest, and there were ugly burns along one arm. Katara poured water from a nearby pitcher onto some cloth and then tried to gently clean the debris from the cuts on his skin. She apologized when he winced in pain. Softly, Katara began to talk to him. She thought it helped when patients could take their mind off of their aches and pains.

When she had cleaned the wounds as best she could, Katara bended water to coat her hands like liquid gloves. She smiled reassuringly at the young man as she softly placed her hands over the largest wound. He let out a sigh of relief at the coolness. Katara closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the healing energy well up inside her body and then forcing it down her arms, into her hands, and finally into the still-bleeding wounds. _Come on._ Slowly, Katara felt his skin absorb the water and leave her hands dry. _Good._ Her healing had been improving with practice. She couldn't yet completely heal wounds, but she healed enough so that patients weren't in danger of bleeding to death.

Katara worked quickly, healing first one patient, then the next. She spoke and asked questions and provided news, but her mind was on Airi. Finally, the row of beds and the cloth in her arms ran out, and she hurried over to Airi's bed. She approached Airi cautiously, in case Airi was sleeping. As Katara neared the bed, she saw that Airi's eyes were closed. Katara was about to move away when Airi opened her blue eyes and called, "Katara!"

"Hi," Katara said softly, reaching a hand for Airi's forehead. She still had a bit of a fever, Katara realized with disappointment. "How are you feeling?"

"Wonderful!" Airi chirped. "Look at what I can do now!" Airi's face took on a look of concentration as she put all her effort into slowly lifting her right foot a few inches off the bed. It hovered there for a minute, before Airi, breathing heavily, let it fall back down again. She looked up at Katara, her eyes beaming with pride.

"That's great, Airi!" Katara tried not to choke. What had the world come to when an innocent young girl, someone so full of _life_, had to struggle just to move her legs? She _hated _the Fire Nation. Katara blinked back her tears, not wanting the young girl to see them. "Are you ready to try some more healing?"

"Okay," Airi agreed. Katara drew her chair up beside the girl and slowly unwrapped the bandages on her arms. She tried not to wince when she saw the angry red skin. Carefully, Katara dipped her hands in the pitcher of water on Airi's bedside table, and, her hands still coated with water, gently placed her hands on Airi's left arm. Airi let out a satisfied sigh.

"That feels so good, Katara," Airi murmured. "Cool and soothing…"

Katara didn't respond as she tried with all her might to change the burned flesh into new, undamaged skin again. The burned tissue accepted the water, but there was no visible change. Katara let out a cry of frustration. Was she simply not good enough? Over and over, she'd tried to heal Airi's skin, but her attempts were always in vain.

"I'm sorry, Airi," Katara finally said, her voice sounding defeated.

"Oh, no, don't be, Katara," Airi reassured her, her eyes closed and a cheerful tone in her voice. "You can't possibly know how good that felt. The pain just goes away…"

"Here," Katara said, reaching for Airi's other arm. She did the same to it and felt a bit better when Airi sighed in pleasure and relief.

"Thank you, Katara," Airi said gratefully. "I think I'll just sleep now before the feeling goes away."

"Okay, Airi," Katara said, smoothing back Airi's dark brown hair from her forehead. "Just rest now, and I'll see you later."

"Mm," Airi mumbled, already drifting off.

Katara gazed at the child's sleeping face for a minute before she shook herself out of her reverie. She quickly rewrapped the bandages on Airi's arms. Standing up, Katara headed for the door. She couldn't take anymore healing today. All the pain, the blood, the tortured cries… it was all too much for one day. She needed something that could take her mind off of everything. Katara headed outside, intent on finding Aang so that they could practice waterbending together.

* * *

Zuko woke the next morning to a cloudy, sunless day. He sat up and saw that his Uncle Iroh was already awake and meditating.

"Anything happen?" Zuko asked.

"The fires are still going," Iroh observed. "I believe that some crew members are attempting to overthrow the new admiral."

_Good_, Zuko thought. _As long as those idiots keep trying to rebel, they won't be looking for me._ A sudden gnaw of pain in his stomach interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm so hungry," Zuko groaned. He hadn't eaten anything for two days straight.

"You'd best be going then," Iroh said softly. Zuko glanced at his uncle. He'd been the one constant thing in his life. Even when his family had turned its back on him, Iroh had stayed faithful. His uncle… his uncle had given up a lot for him. Uncle Iroh, too, had left his home country to travel for two years despite his old age, a time when he should be resting and living a simple life. All to keep watch and take care of _him_. Zuko wanted to tell his uncle how grateful he was, but he didn't know how.

"Don't go and accidentally drown yourself when I'm not around, Uncle," Zuko said gruffly. It wasn't what he wanted to say, but his uncle smiled at him, and he knew that he understood. "I'll see you soon, okay?" Without waiting for a reply, Zuko dived into the chilly water and began swimming towards the city of ice.

As Zuko neared the city, he noticed the blue-coated guards who were milling about on top of the thick walls. Zuko hid himself in a clump of ice and pulled himself out of the water. He thought for a minute, trying to figure out where the Avatar would be. It would be better if he could see the Avatar directly without going through the guards. Who knew what the guards would do to him? True, he was stronger than any of them, but even a powerful Fire Nation Prince could be taken down if there were enough guards. The Avatar, on the other hand, would be quick to accept him with less trouble and fuss. _Hopefully._ Zuko quickly pushed his doubts away. No turning back now.

Zuko crept up to a side wall, making sure to keep out of sight of the guards. He evaluated the mass of ice and snorted in disgust. It really _was_ made entirely out of ice. _How idiotic._ _What the hell were the designers of the city thinking? What kind of moron would build an entire city out of _ice Obviously, the Northern Water Tribe wasn't as advanced as the Fire Nation. Well, what had he been expecting? After all, they were a bunch of primitive peasants. _If you want to do it right, you use steel and iron. _

Chuckling, Zuko lit up a fire in his hands and held it close to the ice. Slowly, the hard surface began to melt, sweating droplets of water. The dent grew larger and larger. Zuko did his best to control the fire, to make sure that it created a hole just big enough for him to crawl through. In minutes, Zuko had melted a small tunnel through the thick ice wall. Zuko ducked down and peered through the hole. Satisfied that no one on the other side had noticed a small opening in the corner of the great wall, he quickly crawled through, ignoring the ice as it scraped his body.

Now on the other side, Zuko quickly ducked behind a column of ice, trying to stay low. _Where can the Avatar be?_ Zuko was a bit surprised by how vast the city was, but he was undeterred. _It can't be that hard to find him._ Zuko decided to head towards the center of the city. He ran forward, crouching over, until a waterway intercepted his path. Zuko nearly laughed out loud at the sight. _So this is the way they travel. _It was ridiculous, sheer absurdity. _Oh well, it's better for me_. Zuko slipped over the edge and lowered himself into the water, where he would be unseen. Zuko started swimming against the current, keeping to the edge of the waterway. He had been going along for a few minutes when he saw a boat heading down towards him. _Crap_. Zuko took a deep breath, then dove as far down as he could.

The boat came closer and closer. Zuko shut his eyes, bracing himself for an impact, but the boat smoothly passed over his head, Zuko let out a sigh of relief. He surfaced again for air, being careful not to splash.

"Have you seen the Avatar yet?" Zuko heard a female voice say on the boat. Zuko whipped his head around, trying to listen in on the conversation as the boat drifted farther away.

"No, but you can always go to…. if you want to see him… practices… bending." Zuko sighed in frustration. _Go to where?_ But the boat had already drifted too far down the water way for Zuko to hear anymore, and Zuko didn't have time to go chasing after a boat.

Zuko swam further up the waterway, taking a couple of turns along the way. He was nearing the heart of the city now—he could feel it. The water around him was starting to get a little rougher, Zuko noticed. It was frothier and also felt a little colder to him, though he couldn't be sure as his body was already partly numb. Zuko swam a bit further and then surfaced for air. Directly in front of him was a short waterfall. _Dammit._ He couldn't swim any further in this particular waterway. Zuko allowed the water to carry him to the surface and then quickly scrambled over the edge of the waterway and back onto the ice. The wind blew, chilling his wet clothes. _Damn all this water._

Shivering a bit, Zuko ducked into a narrow alleyway. He saw an open courtyard in which two figures were practicing waterbending by a large, spewing fountain. One was bundled up in blue robes and the other… Zuko felt a sudden burst of excitement. The other was wearing orange and yellow.

With a sudden burst of energy, Zuko started sprinting for the Avatar. He had only gone about a fourth of the distance, however, when he ran straight into a tall, burly warrior. Several other warriors surrounded him, all equipped with spears.

_Shit._

* * *

"Katara!" Aang cried. "Watch this!" He froze a long ribbon of water into ice, then launched himself at one end with a burst of air. Aang shrieked as he speedily slid on the ice.

Katara laughed and pushed upwards, sending Aang up in a column of water that instantly froze, trapping him in the ice.

"Hey!" Aang yelled, struggling.

"That's what you get for not paying attention and concentrating!" Katara yelled up at him cheerfully. "Now while you're stuck up there, watch me!" She was about to demonstrate a new waterbending technique that involved swirling the water around an opponent and then turning the water into chunks of ice, but a sudden noise startled her.

Katara looked across the courtyard, where half a dozen warriors were struggling with something. She heard indistinct yells and then… _fire_? Katara ran across the courtyard, vaguely aware that Aang had let himself down and was right behind her.

"AVATAR!" a voice roared.

"Wait!" Aang cried. The sound of his voice stopped the warriors, who had been dragging something along the courtyard floor, and they parted to reveal…

"Prince_ Zuko_?"

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**A/N: **Are the chapters too short? Too long? Is the action moving too fast or too slow? Is it just boring? I'd love to know what you guys think.

Some Z/K interaction coming up soon, so stay with me!

Thank you so much for all the positive feedback. You can't imagine how happy and motivated it made me. I read and appreciate every single one. XD

Some things I thought I should address:

"**Its a good start, but the Fire Navy ships are made of iron, not wood." –SleepingDragon13**

I'm sorry for messing up on that. I was wondering about it; I should have researched more thoroughly. Forgive me?

"**try not to rush into things(example: trust, relationships, certain understandings of one another…so on and so forth)" –ClandestineEntropy**

I'm replying to you here because you didn't leave me any way to contact you! I am definitely not planning on rushing into anything. I hope that is good news. If not… it won't take _too_ long.

About Chapter 3: I start school in about three days, and I haven't started any of my winter break homework yet, so I need to concentrate on that for a bit. But maybe if I get enough encouragement, I'll manage to squeeze in writing it before I go back to school. So please keep the reviews coming!


	3. Chapter 3: Weltschmerz

**A/N: **"Yugoda," says Wikipedia. "Yugada," says Distant Horizon. "Yaguda," says Nick's credits(?). Believe me, I'm just as confused as you are. I'm going to try and go with Nick on this one.

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**Chapter 3: Weltschmerz**

The Avatar and the Water Tribe girl were staring at him in shock, waiting for him to explain himself. _This is it. _Zuko took a deep breath and focused his attention on the Avatar, ignoring the girl.

"Avatar," he began calmly, "I come alone, bearing no weapons or thoughts of enmity. I wish to join you in your quest to defeat the Fire Lord and stop the war." _I hope that sounded sincere._

The Avatar looked at him, confusion and skepticism wrinkling his forehead. "Why? Why would you want to kill your father?"

_Good question._ Zuko hesitated, unsure of how much he should reveal, of how much truth he should give.

"I don't consider the Fire Lord my father any longer. I haven't laid eyes on him in over two years, and a day ago I learned that he sent my—someone," Zuko quickly corrected himself, "to have me killed." Zuko didn't know why he didn't want to mention Zula, but he plowed on. _Look angry. Look sincere. _"My father has turned his back on me, so I want to do the same to him."

"So this is for… vengeance?" the Avatar asked, staring at him intently. Zuko paused, then nodded slowly.

"And because I'm sick of fighting the war. I want to end it like you do," Zuko added, allowing a note of disgust to creep into his voice. "There are too many people dying needlessly." Zuko dropped his gaze as if in sadness, then looked up again. "I believe that what you're trying to accomplish is noble—" Zuko broke off when he noticed the Water Tribe girl eyeing him with a raised eyebrow, her doubt clearly etched across her face. _Too much._ "—though your efforts are extremely weak, so I want to offer my help." _There. A touch of arrogance to make me sound more believable. _Zuko closed his eyes as a wave of dizziness washed through him. _Probably the lack of food._ He shivered as the cold wind blew at his wet clothes. Suddenly, without warning, he sneezed, a small burst of flame erupting from his nose. The Water Tribe girl let out a short laugh before she stopped herself. Zuko glared at her.

The Avatar began to speak again, but Zuko was distracted by a loud cry and a blue blur rushing at him from the side.

"Sokka! Stop!" Zuko heard the Avatar yell.

* * *

Katara stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether she should stop her brother or help him. Aang was quicker. He blew a blast of air at Sokka, knocking him down, then jumped on top of him before he could get up again. 

"Not now, Sokka," Aang pleaded.

"Your—your people killed Princess Yue!" Sokka raged at Prince Zuko, his hands forming into fists. He threw Aang off of him and stood up, but he restrained himself from leaping at the prince again.

"Um," Aang said nervously, looking at Sokka. "I think we should talk."

"I thought that's what we were doing," Prince Zuko snapped. "You know, before that boy tried to attack me."

"I meant us," Aang said, motioning to Katara and Sokka.

Katara nodded, and the three of them moved a few a short distance away, though Sokka kept glaring daggers at the prince.

"I can't believe you stopped me from killing him!" Sokka hissed in a low voice. "He's our enemy, remember?"

"But, Sokka, he's trying to make peace," Aang explained.

"And you _believe_ him?" Sokka asked incredulously. He turned to Katara. "Help me out here!" Katara moved to speak but stayed silent when Aang shot her a look.

"Come on, you guys," Aang implored, his eyes opened wide. "I know that it's hard to believe, but don't you think we ought to give him a chance? I'm supposed to be the Avatar, the one who unites nations and promotes harmony between the people of the world. How can I accomplish anything if my own friends try to stay prejudiced and biased?"

"_No_!" Sokka yelled, arms crossed and eyes ablaze. "He's a _firebender, _Aang! Why would he turn on his own people?"

"Jeong Jeong was a firebender, and he didn't agree with the war, either," Aang said quietly.

Katara let them argue as she tried to sort through her own jumbled thoughts. After the initial shock of seeing Prince Zuko, then the absolute disbelief at his words, Aang's words began to sink in. True, she hated Prince Zuko, but if he really _were _being sincere… if he really _did _want to help Aang… why should she stand in the way of that? Prince Zuko was a powerful bender, and he could maybe teach Aang firebending when the time came… Katara bit her lip, her resolve wavering.

Prince Zuko… Should she even be calling him "Prince" if he were denying his father? Katara decided against it. If Zuko were to join them, he shouldn't be expecting any sort of royal treatment from her or any of them. Calling him "Prince" would definitely only serve to inflate his ego.

She glanced at Zuko again. He really did look pathetic, standing there, dripping wet and shivering. As she surreptitiously looked at him, Zuko coughed and sneezed again, letting out another weak burst of flame. The warriors around him jumped back in surprise. And, Katara realized, he was _sick. _Frankly, he looked anything but dangerous.

"Sokka," Katara pleaded softly. Aang shot her a surprised but grateful look. Sokka turned to face his sister.

"Not _you, _too! You don't _believe_ that bastard, do you?" Sokka asked in disbelief.

"_No_," Katara said emphatically, "but… look, Sokka, he's sick. Does he look dangerous to you?"

"_He_ doesn't have to look dangerous. He could just be leading us into a trap. Maybe he has an army waiting for him to let them in somehow. I don't know. Katara!" Sokka yelled in frustration. "He's the _prince_ of the _Fire _Nation."

"It doesn't matter who he is," Aang said softly. "He can't choose who he is. I can't choose who I am. What matters is who he wants to _be_. And I think he wants to be… friends." Aang said this last word quietly, his voice tinged with hope.

Sokka snorted at the thought, but Katara laid a hand on his arm. "Please, Sokka? Just for now, at least, until he gets better. There's no honor in fighting someone when he's sick and weakened."

Sokka gave Katara a helpless look. "You just can't resist anyone who needs help, huh?" He closed his eyes for a minute, then, reluctantly, nodded.

* * *

Zuko was getting very nervous and very worried. What the hell were they talking about? They were only a few feet away; he should have been able to hear every word, but he could only make out indistinct murmurs. Then he realized that the Avatar kept moving his arms around in a slow, winding fashion. Zuko realized that the Avatar must be bending the air around him and his friends in order to disrupt where the sound carried. _Damn that kid._

He sniffed, feeling another sneeze coming. And now he had a cold. What the hell was wrong with these people? Why would _anyone_ want to live in this freezing hell? Zuko realized belatedly that perhaps hopping into chilly ocean water every few minutes hadn't helped, either. Zuko sighed. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been sick. He felt hot one moment, then cold chills the next. All he remembered from the last time he was sick were soothing, cooling hands on his forehead and—

"Zuko," the Avatar said his name. Zuko looked at the short boy dressed in clothes fit for a hot summer's day. _How does that kid stay warm all the time? _Zuko wondered. The cold didn't seem to bother him at all.

"We would be honored to have you join us," the Avatar said solemnly. "But first, you should probably get some dry clothes and—"

The Avatar's words sounded strangely slurred together. Zuko could barely focus, and his vision seemed to be clouding over, getting darker and darker…

* * *

Aang was cut off when Zuko suddenly dropped to the ground. Katara uttered a soft scream and rushed over. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Zuko was still somewhat conscious, though he seemed to be muttering incomprehensibly. 

Aang wordlessly sent a gust of air under Zuko, barely lifting him up enough to drag him along the ground. The warriors stood back, allowing the Avatar to do as he pleased. Katara followed as Aang hauled Zuko along the icy ground into the sickroom and onto an empty cot that was, Katara noticed, right next to Airi's. The girl was still sleeping.

"Uh… your turn, Katara," Aang said, gesturing at Zuko's limp form on the bed.

"What?" Katara asked.

"You're the healer," Aang explained. "He needs dry clothes," he added helpfully.

"You want me to… _undress _him? I'm not going to do that!" Katara said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, _I'm_ not," Aang said. He looked at Sokka, but one icy glare was all it took for Aang to hastily add, "so I guess he can just stay wet for now."

"I'll go find someone who can take a look at him," Katara said, turning around and heading across the room.

Katara's eyes alighted on Yaguda, who was busy stirring a large, white tub of bubbling, gurgling water with a long stick. A pile of dirty sheets rested on a low table next to her. As Katara neared, the woman lifted up a sheet and wrung it, the excess water dripping back into the tub with a soft _plop, plop._

"Take this outside to dry, now," the old woman said, handing the wet sheet to a waiting girl's expectant arms. The young girl took the sheet and left to go hang it outside.

"Yaguda?" Katara asked. Yaguda turned to look at Katara.

"Katara!" she said in surprise. "I thought you were done for the day."

"I thought so, too, but I just brought someone new in. He's in the bed next to Airi's," Katara explained.

"Burns?" Yugoda asked distractedly as the water in the tub hissed, drawing her attention.

"What? Oh, no, not burns. A cold, I think, and a fever. He sort of collapsed," Katara said hesitantly.

"Why don't you help him for now? " Yaguda asked.

"Uh," Katara tried desperately to think of an excuse so that she wouldn't have to go near Zuko. "I'm kind of tired," she finished lamely.

"Okay, I'll try to send one of the other girls," Yaguda said, accepting her weak excuse. "Could you just help me clean these sheets? I can't leave this tub alone," She waved a hand at the stack of soiled sheets and the steaming tub of water.

Katara agreed, grateful that Yaguda wasn't questioning her. She had been working for a few minutes when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Katara, _you_ really need to be the one to take care of him." Katara turned around to see Yaguda staring at her, looking apprehensive. "And you didn't tell me he was a firebender."

"How did you know?" Katara asked before she could stop herself. She began to feel worried. She hadn't stopped to think how the healer woman would react to having a firebender for a patient when all her other patients had been hurt by firebenders. What if Yaguda refused to help Zuko?

"I saw the fire when he coughed," Yaguda replied. She noticed Katara's troubled look and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't turn away people who need help, but I don't think you're going to have much help from the other girls."

"Why?" Katara asked. She knew she sounded a bit whiny, but she _really _didn't want to be the one to take care of Zuko. As sick as he was, she couldn't suppress a little shiver of disgust thinking about how he'd kidnapped Aang.

Yaguda gestured behind Katara, where a row of girls were huddled together, fearfully staring at the unmoving lump that was Zuko on his bed.

"They're all afraid of him," Yaguda said helplessly.

"Afraid?" Katara repeated, nearly laughing in disbelief. "Look at him!" she gestured. "He's so weak he can barely stay awake! What do they think he'll do to them?"

"Please, Katara," Yaguda said softly. "They don't want to go near him because he's a firebender."

Instantly, Katara felt a pang of guilt. She owed so much to the Northern Water Tribe, and now she'd brought a firebender within the people's midst. Yaguda had been kind enough to allow Prince Zuko to stay. The least she could do was take care of him herself, as much as she didn't want to.

"Okay," Katara agreed reluctantly. "I'll do it."

* * *

Zuko groaned as he slipped in and out of consciousness. Despite his pounding head, Zuko couldn't help but feel pleased that his ruse had worked. He was so uncomfortable, though. The water from his clothes had seeped into the cot underneath him, and he felt as if he were lying on ice. He shifted, the bed beneath him squelching in protest. Zuko barely noticed when the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy left. 

Zuko lifted his head and saw the girl coming towards him. He spoke before she could.

"Why are _you _the one taking care of me?" he asked, glaring at her, remembering the way she'd laughed at him.

Katara stared at the boy in disbelief. She was _helping _him, and he couldn't even be bothered to be grateful?

"Everyone else is scared of you," she snapped back. Katara felt heartened when Zuko looked a bit offended.

"Could you get this water off of me?" he asked after a moment of silence. _I feel like I just wet myself,_ Zuko added silently.

Katara raised her eyebrows. "And how do you propose I do that?"

"You're a waterbender, aren't you?" Zuko said contemptuously. "Or are you not _advanced_ enough?"

Katara scowled at him, getting more and more irritated with each passing second. It would serve him right to make him lie in wet clothes and a wet bed for awhile. It would teach him to be thankful. But, Katara sighed, he _was_ sick. Maybe he was just delirious. Katara lifted her arms and concentrated on the moisture in the boy's clothing. She began a pulling motion, drawing the water out bit by bit, in a long rope. Katara skillfully transferred the long, liquid rope to an empty pitcher on a table by the bed, letting the water pile into the container.

Zuko let out a sigh of relief as his clothes and cot became dry again.

Katara stared at him expectantly, waiting for a thanks of some sort. "Well?" she finally snapped, breaking the silence.

Zuko stared back. He knew what she wanted to hear, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. It was _her_ fault that he was sick, anyway. How, exactly, Zuko couldn't recall, but he wouldn't be sick in the first place if she hadn't traveled with the Avatar to this _freaking cold_ place.

"Well, what?" Zuko replied coldly. He smiled inwardly when the girl's eyes widened in shock.

Katara was rendered speechless as her anger took over. "_Well,_" she spluttered wrathfully, "don't you think you should be a bit more grateful! You—you arrogant—" Katara clenched her fists in frustration. She didn't want to call him a _prince. _"—_person_!" she finished. Katara leaned in closer, hissing, "You never even thanked Aang! He saved your _life_ when we were just going to leave you to die in that blizzard!"

_Aang? _Oh, Zuko realized, she was talking about the Avatar. His temper flared. Who was this girl, anyway, to be calling _him_ arrogant and trying to teach _him_ manners? He was _royalty,_ and she—she had probably washed her own clothes in some river somewhere!

"You kidnapped him!" Katara barged on, nearly shrieking. Zuko was getting seriously annoyed, and her shouting was hurting his head. _He'd _saved the Avatar's life, too.

"You don't even know what you're talking about!" Zuko started, smoke beginning to rise from his hands. "Do you even know that _I— _"

But he was interrupted by a sudden cry from the bed next to his.

Katara looked over to see that Airi had woken up, and that she was sobbing fitfully. _She probably had a nightmare_, Katara thought anxiously. Her fury at Zuko's rudeness dissipated as she rushed to Airi's side, sitting on the bed next to the girl and cradling her in her lap.

* * *

Zuko watched interestedly as the girl tried to comfort the sobbing child. She seemed to actually _care…_ a lot. Zuko was surprised by how much affection the girl was showing to an insignificant child, someone who probably couldn't benefit her in any way. The girl couldn't have been here for more than a few weeks, yet she treated the child as if she'd known her for years. Zuko shook his head, confused. He closed his eyes as sleep began to draw him down its dark depths again. He was _much_ more comfortable all dry. The bed felt so nice and soft after sleeping on that raft for two straight nights.

* * *

Katara whispered soothing words to Airi as the girl cried into her shoulder. 

"It's okay, you're okay," Katara murmured softly. "You're safe. Don't worry." She gently stroked Airi's hair and patted her on the back. "No one's going to hurt you."

"Because," Airi choked, her voice muffled, "because they already hurt my mommy!"

Katara felt her heart wrench in pain. "I know, I know, but they're gone now," she continued to whisper blindly. "I'm here, I'll keep you safe." Katara struggled to speak around the lump forming in her throat. She sighed as she felt tears prick her eyes, leaning forward until her chin rested on the top of Airi's head.

After a few minutes, Airi's sobs had lessened to quieter sniffles, and then silence. Katara felt the girl relax in her arms. She'd probably fallen asleep again, Katara thought. Katara hoped that Airi wouldn't have anymore nightmares, but she could hardly blame the girl. Katara remembered her own nightmares after the Fire Nation had come. They had been horrible, filled with confusion and terror, and something hot and scorching that came ever closer. She had been helpless then, a child. She hadn't even understood what was going on, why these men wanted to disturb the tribe's quiet life. The tribe hadn't hurt anyone. The tribe hadn't done _anything._ But that was war. Attack the innocent and hell have mercy on anyone who stands in your way. She gazed at the wounded bodies that lay before her. Why had they fought back? Why had they tried so hard when the Fire Nation was clearly stronger?

But Katara could understand why they had struggled, tried vainly to hold back the advancing soldiers, even when their efforts were hopeless and their actions dictated solely by desperation. _Because when all hope is lost, then that is the time you fight the hardest. You summon every last bit of your being to battle for what you believe in because you have nothing left to lose. Most of the time, in the end, you lose anyway._ _But_, Katara remembered, _sometimes you win_. She recalled the ocean spirit that had driven back the Fire Navy. _Did that count as a victory? Is it a victory if all that you accomplish is staying alive, surviving to battle another day?_

Gently, Katara extracted herself from Airi's grip, then laid the girl back onto the bed, making sure to tuck in the blankets around her so that she'd be warm.

Katara stood and walked over to Zuko's bed. She saw with relief that he'd fallen asleep as well. Katara moved closer, suddenly weary with the weight of the world, of a war that tore lives apart and hurt innocent girls with shining blue eyes. Katara looked at Zuko, the fight having drained out of her.

Her eyes roamed over his face, coming to rest on the patch of angry red skin that stretched over one eye. Red. Damaged. Like Airi's arms. With a sudden burst of anger, Katara turned on her heel and left.

* * *

"Her name's Katara." 

Zuko groaned and turned his head, hunger gnawing at his stomach. Getting himself dry had been first, but then he'd been distracted by that _ignorant girl's_ impudence and had forgotten to ask for food. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but the girl had gone, and darkness had descended outside. The little girl in the bed beside him was looking at him intently. When he didn't respond, she continued.

"It's okay, I don't mind sharing her with you."

Zuko still didn't reply, but the girl seemed undeterred. She stared at his face.

"Did you get that burn from the bad people?" she asked sympathetically, a note of concern in her voice. "They got my mommy and my daddy and they burned my arms like your face, but Katara's been helping me. She can help you, too."

Zuko felt a sudden pang of guilt, but he pushed it away. _He_ wasn't responsible for anyone who got in the way of the Fire Nation. It wasn't his fault if people didn't just submit peacefully. Before Zuko allowed slumber to shut off his senses again, his thoughts turned to the other words the child had said.

So that's what her name was.

Katara.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for all the help and comments. I am very, very appreciative. Some people said that my chapters should be longer, and some said that they were okay, but no one said that they were too short so… I made this one a bit longer. 

I haven't watched an Avatar episode in forever, so please forgive any OOC-ness. Or better yet, point it out for me.

Constructive criticism also welcome, especially since I am plowing through this on my own. I am in desperate need of a beta. Chapter 4 probably won't be up for a few days because I have a load of homework/tests/lab reports.

Oh, and leechy nuts to you if you know what "Weltschmerz" means. XD


	4. Chapter 4: Caught in Suspension

**Chapter 4: Caught in Suspension**

Katara breathed in the crisp, chilled air as she stretched, trying to coax her stiff limbs into supple, flexible fluidity. A weak sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, its rosy fingers of dawn reaching out to caress the glittering ice that sparkled and winked in their embrace.

Aang was beside her, a look of concentration on his face as he moved through the stretches, imitating the waterbending master before them. Aang had really come far, Katara reflected, since he finally settled down to seriously learn waterbending. When Aang put his mind to something, he learned surprisingly quickly. In the past couple of days, Katara and Aang had practiced over and over the techniques Master Pakku had taught them, well aware of the comet that sped towards them, swiftly coming closer with each passing second. They had long since surpassed Master Pakku's other students, and they now had more advanced lessons by themselves.

"How's Zuko?" Aang asked quietly, glancing at Katara.

"Getting better," Katara whispered shortly back. She hadn't been able to get over her anger at Zuko, and their contact with each other had been stiff and terse, neither of them speaking any more than was necessary. Surprisingly, Zuko did seem to be healing faster than she'd expected. It seemed that all he had needed was food and rest.

"That's enough," Master Pakku said after awhile. Katara and Aang stopped stretching and straightened up, ready to learn whatever new techniques the master had in store for them this early morning. But instead of demonstrating another complicated and skillful move, Master Pakku beckoned them closer. Katara and Aang shared a curious look as they obediently moved closer.

"You have both improved tremendously from when I first met you," Master Pakku started. He gave them a rare smile. "But time is short and I know that the Avatar," he nodded at Aang, "must soon learn the next element in the cycle. I have hundreds upon hundreds of waterbending techniques that I could demonstrate to you, one by one. Had we enough time, I could teach until you master them each fully. Sadly, we do not have the opportunity of such a feast." Master Pakku looked at the two of them sternly. "I want you two to learn, therefore, how to be creative, innovative, to alter, mesh, and most importantly, create, techniques to fit any given situation. That, I believe, will be far more useful to you than learning single waterbending moves one by one."

Katara nodded slowly, absorbing the master's words. He made sense, in many ways. If she and Aang were to fight in actual combat, spontaneity and thinking on their feet would get them farther than a repertoire of techniques learned by rote.

"The most important thing you have to remember is that water can be shaped in any way that your mind can conceive. Water," Master Pakku lifted a shapeless orb of liquid, "can become anything." He started morphing the water, shaping it into a bird, a flower, a star. "Fill yourself with it," Master Pakku continued. "Feel that fluid motion, that desire to become something, to _form_."

Katara concentrated on the waterbending master's words, filling her mind with the thought of water. The vast expanse of the ocean, the unimaginable depths, the waves, the tide, the push and pull, push and pull of frothy waves expanding and contracting, crawling up sandy banks and then swishing back down again. The coolness, the utter blueness, the shifting, amorphous liquid.

"Now," said Master Pakku, giving them a challenging look, "shall we give this a try? Aang, why don't we start first?"

Aang nodded and stood up, keeping his breathing even. He, too, seemed to be concentrating hard. Katara settled down to watch as Master Pakku and Aang faced each other, bowed, and began to fight.

Master Pakku started the duel with a simple move that all of them had seen before. He formed a long rope of water, then raised it high above Aang and whipped it down, sending it lashing at the young boy. Aang deflected it easily, raising a sheet of water and freezing it, forming the ice shield that Master Pakku had taught them. The hissing water snake rushed at the solid wall, crackling as it froze to ice and died. Master Pakku nodded as he picked up his pace, sending ice disks flying at Aang, who spun them back with speed and grace. Katara watched the match in puzzlement. So far, everything that Master Pakku had done they'd all seen before. He'd already taught them how to block and defend everything that he was now throwing at Aang.

Apparently, Aang was thinking along the same lines as Katara because he suddenly yelled out, "Is that all you have?" Aang gave a gleeful laugh as he continued to block and counter Master Pakku's attacks with ease.

But this, apparently, was what Master Pakku had been waiting for because he silently responded by starting a barrage of attacks that were completely new and foreign to Katara. _Wow. _Her jaw dropped as she stared in amazement. Master Pakku lifted whole sheets of ice that undulated as if they were in their melted form, sending them swirling at Aang, surrounding him in ice that positively danced, teasingly two-stepping out of his reach as he tried to tame them, to melt them. Master Pakku pressed closer, now mixing ice and water in a hailstorm that pummeled Aang, clearly confusing him and stripping him of his senses of hearing and sight. Slowly, the wall of ice advanced with Aang powerless to stop it, closing in on the small boy who crouched, his arms held over his head in a vain attempt to protect himself from the fist-sized rocks of ice.

"Too easy for you?" Master Pakku asked dryly. His face was a mask of concentration as his arms fluidly moved through the intricate dance of waterbending, his feet following the lead of their more agile counterparts.

"The water is within you, Aang!" Katara screamed. She had little idea of what she was saying; she was just repeating what Master Pakku had told them, but her words seemed to infuse Aang with newfound energy. He began to rise, bending the water and ice away from his head and directing them, instead, at the sheets of ice that threatened to trap him. The huge chunks of ice battered the ice walls, which stopped rippling as Master Pakku struggled to keep them sturdy and strong under this new attack. Slowly, despite Master Pakku's efforts, the rocks of ice slammed into the wall, creating cracks that spread like a spider's web across the ice walls' once-smooth surfaces. _Come on, Aang._ With a loud grunt, Aang increased the speed of his attack, hammering at the ice until, finally, with a loud shriek, the walls cracked, crumbled, and fell, freeing Aang from his previous prison.

Master Pakku gave a short nod of approval, but clearly he wasn't done yet. He sent a solid wall of ice spears at Aang, the tips sharp enough, Katara saw with fear, to pierce skin. And then she watched in amazement as Aang began to move through steps and motions that they'd never been taught. He pushed out a monstrous wave of water that rushed over and enclosed the ice spears, melting the sharp spears of ice at his will, dulling the ends that pointed at him and sharpening the ones that pointed back towards Master Pakku. With a loud intake of breath, Aang sent up another wall of water that froze and pushed back on the spears of ice, sending them shooting back towards Master Pakku.

Katara watched as Master Pakku's face contorted in concentration as he raised the temperature of the ice, melting it to harmless water that splashed onto the ground before it reached him. They fought on, Katara trying desperately to memorize each move that they made because she'd seen absolutely none of them before. Master Pakku she was unsure of, but she knew that Aang was completely creating his own techniques to respond to Master Pakku. He was doing what the waterbending master had said, changing around techniques they'd learned before, meshing a few together, and spontaneously coming up with whatever responses the situations called for.

Both Master Pakku and Aang were beginning to pant now, and Katara could see sheens of sweat on both of their faces. They were evenly matched, Katara realized, Master Pakku's experience matched with Aang's agility. Aang's face was contorted with intense focus. Each dueler was barely holding his own in the fight. Each time Master Pakku advanced and looked like he was about to win, Aang would create something new that would turn the tide on Master Pakku. Each time Aang nearly won, Master Pakku would utter a low growl and kick up his pace even more, moving faster than Katara would have believed from a man his age. They battled on for what seemed like hours, though Katara knew it could only have been a few minutes, each playing at the top of his game, giving the duel all he had. Neither could best the other.

Aang cried out in pain as one of Master Pakku's ice chips scraped his cheek, leaving in its wake a thin line of scarlet. He roared and began another series of attacks, creating his own wall of water that advanced towards Master Pakku. Master Pakku tried to bend Aang's water to his will, but Katara's jaw dropped open as the water hissed into steam, drifting lazily in formless clouds that Master Pakku could not shape. With a low growl, Master Pakku lowered the temperature of the vapor, condensing the steam into water droplets again, but he'd lost precious ground as Aang pushed forward. Again and again, Aang changed the water into shapeless vapor, until finally the water began to surround Master Pakku.

The steam obscured Master Pakku's vision as he tried to lower the temperature to something more bearable, but Aang kept up his relentless attack, water to steam, water to steam. The water was frothing now, bubbles forming, popping and reforming all through it. _Boiling_, Katara realized. Her eyes widened in horror. Something had taken over Aang, and he didn't seem to realize what he was about to do. Aang's face had morphed into something Katara had never seen before on his usually smiling, usually laughing visage. Aang's eyes were narrowed, and a fierce scowl twisted his face into something that gave Katara chills. He seemed to be a completely different person, caught up in the bloodlust of battle. He didn't seem to know what he was doing at all. Katara was about to scream _Aang! Look what you're doing!_ before Aang boiled Master Pakku alive, but a loud voice roared out first.

"STOP!"

Aang froze, his balled up hands uncurling so that his arms swung limply at his sides. The bubbling, hissing, steaming water dropped away from Master Pakku. He stood still as the water splashed away, melting little rivers into the icy ground as it snaked its way away from him. He was drawing in ragged breaths, his face red from exertion and heat, sweat pouring down his face. Aang stopped moving. He, too, was breathing heavily. Neither said anything for a moment as Katara held her breath. Master Pakku was the first of the two to move.

He wiped the sweat off his face and walked forward until he was right in front of Aang. Aang stared at him. Katara shifted her gaze from one to the other. What was Master Pakku going to do? Yell at Aang for nearly killing him? Refuse to ever teach Aang again? Throw them both out of the city?

Master Pakku leaned forward, his head dipping down into a low, graceful bow.

"Well done, Master Aang."

Katara's mind reeled in shock; then she gathered her senses and turned to Aang, who looked back at her with a grin that lit up his entire face.

* * *

Giddy with Aang's success, Katara was in high spirits as she made her way back to the sickroom. When she arrived, Yaguda had a few patients for her to take care of. Katara moved from bed to bed, checking on wounds and talking to the patients, who were bored from lack of company and conversation. When she'd finished, Katara sighed in resignation. There was no more delaying checking on Zuko. Still filled with the happy glow at Aang's mastering waterbending, Katara resolved to be nicer to Zuko. She'd been snippy with him for the past couple of days for little reason. Really, it wasn't exactly his fault that Airi was hurt, even if he was a firebender. He hadn't been the one who'd nearly killed her. Katara made her way over to Zuko's bed. It was still early, and Airi was sleeping, but Zuko was already awake, sitting up and scowling as he saw her approaching. 

"Good morning!" she said brightly, trying to smile. Zuko looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

"Why are you so happy?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Katara could feel her anger rising again. Who was he to question her? She had only been trying to be friendly. Her mind focused back on Zuko's question. _Should I tell him? _Katara wondered. _He would find out, anyway, _she decided.

"Aang's mastered waterbending!" she said, unable to keep the joy out of her voice.

Zuko didn't know how to respond to that, so he scowled. "Just now? It took him that long? Isn't he supposed to be the _Avatar_?"

Katara stepped backwards, her cheerful mood completely evaporating like the water Aang had turned to steam. What was it with Zuko, anyway? Why couldn't he just accept friendship when it was offered? Why did he always have to be so… so _difficult_? Well, what had she expected? she admonished herself. Zuko to leap from bed and do a little jig in joy?

"We've been busy," Katara said shortly, all thoughts of trying to befriend Zuko gone.

Zuko eyed the girl, knowing that what he had said had angered her. He realized that he couldn't really go around making enemies out of the Avatar's friends and still expect the Avatar to trust him. So he changed the subject.

"Why couldn't you have just healed me like you healed _them_?" he said, a bit petulantly, lifting his chin at the patients Katara had just been visiting.

Zuko really was quite irritating, Katara thought. She wondered why his crewmen had never just tossed him overboard after putting up with him for days on end. Well, she could play his game.

"Number one," she said frostily, "I don't want to touch you. Number two, I can only heal what I can see." Her mind raced as a thought, unbidden, suddenly occurred to her. _He was watching me?_ "I can see the open wounds and the blood. I can't see what's going on inside you." Katara grimaced as she realized the unintentional double meaning of the words she'd just uttered. She hadn't been able to see whatever sickness was affecting Zuko on the inside; neither could she see the emotions that he hid from her.

"I think you're better now," Katara said when Zuko didn't respond. He was certainly feeling good enough to carry on a verbal battle with her, and with him gone, she wouldn't have to put up with him anymore. "Other people need this bed more than you do."

Zuko looked at her. "And where would I go?"

Katara thought. "I don't know," she replied honestly, surprised.

* * *

"Katara!" Aang was waving at her from across the courtyard. Katara waved back, smiling, but her smile faded as she neared the boy. Instead of the joyful grin that he'd given her earlier, a look of concern and worry adorned his face. 

"What's wrong?" Katara asked.

"Chief Arnook knows Zuko's here, and he wants to talk to us," Aang replied somberly. "Now." Katara flinched, wondering what the chief of the water tribe would say knowing that the prince of the Fire Nation was in his territory and at his mercy.

"We'd better go, then," Katara said quietly. They made their way over to Chief Arnook's council room, where Sokka was waiting for them by the doors. He held his boomerang in one hand, and he was pacing back and forth.

"What do you think he'll say?" Aang wondered aloud. Sokka grimaced.

"I hope he tells us that we were crazy to believe Zuko in the first place, and that he's going to have a public hanging for him right away," Sokka said grimly.

"Sokka!" Katara said, horrified.

"Sorry," Sokka muttered, not sounding the least bit apologetic at all. Katara was still shocked by the depth of her brother's hatred, but she held her tongue.

They went in and approached Chief Arnook, who was sitting behind a large desk littered with official-looking documents and maps. He gestured at them to sit down, then cleared his throat.

"Would you like to explain what's going on?" he asked. His tone wasn't unkind or accusing. Just… tired. Weary.

"Prince Zuko has asked to join us as we attempt to defeat his father, the Fire Lord," Aang said in a small voice after a tense silence.

"Why?" Chief Arnook inquired calmly.

"His father tried to have him killed," Katara stepped in. "He's tired of the war, and he wants it to stop." Sokka said nothing, just kept his arms folded and an icy glare on his face.

"What gives you reason to believe his words?" Chief Arnook continued, steepling his fingers.

"He's been here for a few days now, and we haven't seen any sign of trouble or danger," Aang said hopefully.

"You do know," Chief Arnook said sternly, "that you risked a great deal by allowing Prince Zuko to stay. You do know that you placed my people, your sister tribe, in possible grave danger."

Katara swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.

Chief Arnook sighed. "But you are the Avatar," he said to Aang, "and I trust your judgment." Aang gave him a small smile, and Katara heaved a sigh of relief. Sokka scowled even more fiercely.

"You do understand," Chief Arnook continued, "that he is to be solely your responsibility. I don't expect you to involve any of my people in his affairs."

"Where—where will he stay, then?" Katara asked.

"With you, I suppose," Chief Arnook decided. "Your chamber is certainly big enough for another person. No one else will allow him to stay with them, and I don't want to give him a place for himself. You three will be able to keep an eye on him."

Katara mentally kicked herself. She'd thought that pronouncing Zuko healed would have relieved her of her caretaking duties and gotten him out of her hair, but all she'd succeeded in was having Zuko share their room. Now he could be a nuisance not just during the day, but also at night. _Nice going, Katara._

* * *

Zuko stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't believe how bored he felt. There was nothing to do all day except sleep or think. The former he'd done enough of, and the latter he tried to stay away from. None of the healers would come near him, and he was too wary of practicing firebending, not that he could do much in a bed, anyway. Zuko was itching to get up, to run around, to _do _something. The only thing that was remotely of interest was the girl in the bed next to his, but her constant chattering grated on his nerves. He winced as she woke up and started talking again. 

"What a beautiful morning!" she said cheerily. _According to the girl, it's always a beautiful morning, _Zuko thought, annoyed._ It could probably be thundering and the walls could be caving in from the wind and rain, and she'd still smile that infernal smile and happily tell me that it's "a beautiful morning." _He groaned as she continued speaking. "Doesn't it just make you feel like playing outside?"

As always, Zuko refrained from replying. He didn't talk much to her, but she seemed to enjoy his company, silent or no. She prattled on about her favorite toys and the things she liked to do. Zuko sighed as he listened to her. He had to be _really _bored if he was willing to listen about some little girl's favorite _toys._ _Please, deliver me from this insanity_.

His wish was granted as he saw the Water Tribe girl… _Katara_… coming towards him.

"Katara!" Airi squealed. Katara smiled and gave the child a quick hug, then approached Zuko.

"My, aren't we all nice and rested?" were the first words out of her mouth. Zuko felt a stab of annoyance. He couldn't help it that he had to lie around in bed all day. "You're fine now, so you can stop taking up this bed."

"Where am I going to go, then?" Zuko asked, throwing off the blankets and standing up. His interest was piqued when Katara's cheeks took on a faint blush.

"With—me," she said, not quite meeting his eyes. "I mean," she quickly corrected herself, "us. Aang, my brother, and me."

Now _this_ was interesting. Zuko took a step closer to her and smirked. "Couldn't get enough of me, huh?" he asked, enjoying watching her squirm. "Now you want me sharing your room?"

"Don't be stupid," Katara said stiffly. It was just like Zuko to jump to conclusions and assume that she'd, in some crazy way, _wanted_ him to sleep in the same room as her. "Chief Arnook doesn't trust you enough to give you a room to yourself. We're supposed to make sure you don't go around attacking people in the night."

Zuko was flattered that the chief of the Water Tribe thought that he was enough of a threat to merit three, no, make that two (the Water Tribe boy was nothing but a buffoon), people to guard him.

"When are we going?" Zuko asked, eager to escape the monotony of the sickroom.

"Now, I guess," Katara replied. She sighed. "Follow me."

"Are you leaving now, Zuko?" Airi asked sadly. "Who will I talk to?"

Katara looked at Zuko in surprise. Had he really become friends with Airi? Well, Airi was so earnest and adorable that she could probably befriend the Fire Lord himself, but still… Katara wouldn't have thought it possible for Zuko to appreciate a sweet child like Airi. _Maybe he has a tiny bit of decency in him, somewhere._

Zuko gave Airi a tight smile and a short wave. "I'll see you sometime later," he said, not committing to anything. He turned and followed Katara out into the open, fresh air. Zuko inhaled deeply as Katara led him across the courtyard and along a few waterways, finally stopping next to a small building near a bridge.

"Here," she said, opening the door and stepping in. Zuko followed her, his eyes adjusting to the relative darkness. It was a simple room, decorated only by sparse furniture. A shaggy carpet covered the floor, and two fires crackled merrily, lighting up the dark interior. Three sleeping bags were laid out.

"_This_ is where you guys sleep?" he asked disdainfully. Katara narrowed her eyes, her temper rising again.

"If it's not good enough for you, your _majesty_," she said, sarcasm dripping with every word, "then you can just sleep outside!"

"It's fine," Zuko said quickly. He knew how low the temperature dropped in these regions, especially at night.

Katara rolled her eyes, opened the door, and left, leaving him in the room by himself.

* * *

Zuko woke with a sudden start. The four of them had gone to sleep in stony silence. He noticed that the Water Tribe boy and the Avatar had not-so-discreetly moved the other sleeping bags farther away from his. Then they had arranged themselves so that they slept between him and Katara, forming a physical barrier. Zuko had been amused. Did they seriously think that he was at all attracted to the Water Tribe girl? She was a no-name girl from a no-name village. Definitely not worth his attention at all. 

Zuko shifted and turned, nearly letting out a cry of surprise as his eyes met blue ones, mere inches away. The fires had died down, and shadows ruled the night, playing across the face before him and making it look menacing at first. The Water Tribe boy was sitting up, his arms folded and a boomerang held in one hand. Judging from his position, he'd been sitting there for quite awhile.

"What are you doing?" Zuko hissed.

"Watching you," the boy replied tersely. "Making sure you don't try anything funny."

Zuko laughed inwardly. Did the Water Tribe boy really think that he could stop him? He was nothing but an annoyance. No threat at all.

"What's the matter? You don't trust me?" Zuko asked in mock offense.

"No," was the Water Tribe boy's curt reply.

"How long have you been up?" Zuko asked, dropping the charade.

"I didn't go to sleep," he said stonily.

"And do you plan on staying up all night?" Zuko asked skeptically.

"Yes," was his cold affirmation. Zuko shrugged. It wasn't his business if the crazy buffoon wanted to stay up every night to watch him sleep. Zuko knew he was fascinating, but even he wasn't _that _interesting. Zuko rolled over and went back to sleep.

When Zuko woke up again, the first thing he noticed was that the Water Tribe boy had fallen asleep. His head drooped over his chest, and a thin string of drool dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. Zuko gave him a look of disgust. It was comical, really, the way the boy tried to act like a glorious warrior when he was, quite obviously, absolutely incompetent. He couldn't even stay awake for more than a few hours.

The second thing he noticed was that the girl was gone.

**

* * *

**

**A/N: **Catch the _Odyssey _allusion? Heh. I didn't mean to leave you with a semi-cliffhanger, but the chapter was getting pretty long. Don't worry, I have a three day weekend (Yay for Martin Luther King, Jr.!), so Chapter 5 should be posted shortly.

Kudos to **chickygurl **and **xXOathkeeperXx **for recognizing that "Weltschmerz" means the sadness that comes from thinking of the evils of the world. Poor Katara.

The usual; reviews totally make my day. XD Make me happy, please!


	5. Chapter 5: An Enigma

**Chapter 5: An Enigma**

Zuko silently shrugged out of his sleeping bag, hissing in a sharp intake of breath as he emerged from the cocoon of warmth. He didn't know what he was doing. Looking for her? Just getting some fresh air? He quietly stole across the room, the thick carpet muffling his footfalls. Zuko opened the door and, with a slight shiver, stepped out into the cold night air.

The moon was bright, and the world was bathed in a silvery glow. Zuko was surprised to notice that the city looked quite… nice in the moonlight. The ice walls were illuminated by an iridescent glow that seemed to come from within each wall; they hummed and pulsed with a subtle silver blush. Zuko felt a strange sense of insignificance in the city built of crystal. It held an ethereal, almost magical, quality.

Zuko was startled out of his reverie when he heard a soft sigh that made him instantly alert. Zuko turned his head and looked up in the direction of the sound. A figure was standing, unmoving, on the bridge. Katara.

* * *

Katara leaned on the railing, gazing up at the moon. She had never realized how essential and beautiful it was until the world had come so close to losing it. She knew it was probably quite late, but she had needed this. She needed to be out in the night air, near the water and under the moon. Katara gazed at the silver-crested waves that lapped gently against the staircase below her, gurgling playfully. Smiling, she lifted her arms and began to work in concert with the waves. Katara let all her worries slide away as her mind became focused solely on the liquid grace of the water.

* * *

Zuko stopped short when he saw her. The moonlight caressed her dark hair, making it gleam with silver accents every time she turned her head, as if a crown fashioned out of pure silver light adorned her. Her movements were graceful and her expression serene. She seemed utterly different from the Katara he knew. She seemed… peaceful. Zuko watched curiously as Katara started to bend the water, coaxing a thick strand from the pool below her higher and higher. 

Zuko began to understand what she was doing now. Of course. This was how she managed to keep up with the Avatar. She snuck out at night to practice her waterbending. Zuko understood her perfectly. He, too, had often ignored his trainers and instructors' directions to get enough rest. After rising at dawn and training all day, performing hundreds upon hundreds of drills over and over and over, struggling to reach perfection, Zuko had still crept out at night to practice more. He had still retained the foolish idea that maybe, if he practiced hard enough and became _good _enough, his father would be proud of him. So Zuko trained, all day and all night, ignoring the exhaustion that hovered at the edges of his consciousness and threatened to overwhelm him, fighting off the desire to sleep. He remembered the intensity that gripped him during those midnight training sessions, the overpowering desire to push his body beyond all limits, to keep going even when he couldn't feel any part of himself anymore. He remembered pushing past the pain as his body screamed in protest because maybe if he just did _this _drill for one more hour, just one, he could perfect it and prove that he was worthy of being his father's son. So Zuko understood why Katara was out here at night.

With a mind born and bred of training, battle, and _war, _Zuko watched as Katara took one step, two steps, and then started to… _dance. _

* * *

A few seconds later, Katara had fashioned herself a dress made of the glimmering water. It covered every inch of her skin from her neck down, hovering a few millimeters above her skin so as not to soak her clothes. 

Katara looked down at herself and laughed with delight. She loved it when she made up her own waterbending tricks. As some went, this one was pretty useless, but it was fun nevertheless. Plus, it felt so good to be surrounded and encased by water. It soothed her. Calmed her. Katara danced a few steps, the dress made of water shifting fluidly to remain flush with her body. It took intense concentration to focus and move the water in imitation of herself, but it was a welcome distraction.

Katara began to hum softly as she twirled beneath the starlit sky. Sometimes, she was the only person in the world.

* * *

Zuko was dumbfounded. He'd always thought of his firebending as a tool, a weapon that could be used to make others fear and submit to him. He'd assumed that everyone else felt the same way. Bending was just another weapon to be used in combat. The thought had never crossed his mind that someone would use her bending to _play._ But there Katara was. Zuko could hear her soft giggles and quiet humming as she twirled and spun, dressed in water and moonlight. She was _enjoying_ the water in a way that he'd never done with his fire. 

Then another sound, quite different from Katara's voice, broke the stillness of the night. Zuko cursed as he saw a dark figure, silhouetted against the firelight behind him, stagger out of their room. Apparently, the Water Tribe boy had woken up. Amazing.

"Katara!" he called out hoarsely, running towards his sister on the bridge. Zuko sighed as he tried to press himself into a darker corner.

* * *

"Katara!" Sokka was running towards her, waving his arms wildly. Alarmed, Katara broke her concentration and allowed her water dress to slip away. 

"What is it, Sokka?" Katara asked frantically. "Is Aang okay?"

"Yes, but—oh—I'm glad you're safe—when I saw both you and Zuko gone—" Sokka gasped, panting heavily. He threw his arms around her in a quick embrace. "Did you—did you see him at all?"

Katara's head snapped up. "Zuko?" she asked in surprise. "He's not inside? He was still there when I left."

"No," Sokka said, shaking his head violently. "Zuko's gone."

Katara was gripped with immediate fear. Chief Arnook had trusted _them _to keep an eye on Zuko, and they'd failed him. Chief Arnook had been kind enough to allow Zuko to stay, and they were repaying him by possibly putting his people in danger. Where had the firebender gone? Had this been his plan all along? Sneak out at night and attack the Water Tribe citizens? Or worse, gather up an army… Katara shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the images that crowded it, vying for her attention. _Calm down,_ she said to herself. _There's probably a logical explanation for his disappearance… probably, _Katara tried to reassure herself. _Then why can't I think of one!_

"Okay," she said, her calm and even voice belying her inner turmoil. "Don't panic now. Let's go look for him. He can't have gone far." She started off at a brisk pace, Sokka hurrying to keep up with her. Katara glanced at him, noting the angry and worried look on his face. Quickly, Katara tried to think of something that would take his mind off of their current search.

"How have you been?" she asked. Sokka looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Since Princess Yue… left," Katara said awkwardly. She groaned inwardly at her tactless remark. _That's the way to calm him down… remind him of the girl he loved who _died

Surprisingly, Sokka's face took on a tranquil, peaceful look.

"I'm okay," he said simply. "I was angry at first, but I can't blame her for wanting to fulfill her duty to her people. And she did it so beautifully and nobly, the way she sacrificed herself. She may not be the Avatar, but she saved the world just the same." Sokka looked down for a moment, and then up at Katara again. Katara held her breath, too surprised and gratified by this rare glimpse into Sokka's softer side to say anything that might stop it. "Besides," Sokka continued. He glanced up at the moon that still shone brightly above them. "She didn't really die. And now she's always with me, wherever I am." He was silent for awhile, apparently embarrassed by his sudden outpouring of emotion. Katara gave him a smile and hugged him briefly, the way he had hugged her.

"Let's go back," she said, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't see anything. Maybe Aang can help us."

"Yeah, he could probably get a better view from the air," Sokka agreed as he fell in step beside Katara. They hurried back towards their room, their backs hunched over in defense against the sudden chilled wind that had picked up.

* * *

Zuko had followed the siblings as they walked, melting in and out of the darkness, his body composed of shadows. Their conversation had both confused and intrigued him. "Princess" Yue must mean that the girl had been some kind of royalty in the Water Tribe. Zuko remembered the way it seemed as if color had seeped from the world, and the coursing relief of the vibrant return of those many-hued shades, but he didn't know exactly what had happened. 

Zuko heard the siblings decide to go back, so he darted swiftly ahead of them, always careful to keep out of sight. Zuko dashed into the room and hurriedly crawled back into his sleeping bag. He shut his eyes as he heard them approaching.

* * *

Katara quickly walked up to the doorway, hope rising in her chest like ice that insists on floating to the water's surface. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw the black hair and unmistakable lump that was Zuko, back in his sleeping bag. 

"He's here," Katara breathed to Sokka, who had come up behind her. "Shh."

Sokka nodded as he shut the door. "Is he asleep?"

"I think so," Katara whispered.

Sokka scowled. "We should wake him up and make him tell us where he went."

"In the morning, Sokka," Katara said firmly. "I think we could all use a little rest now." She snuggled back into the plush warmth of her sleeping bag. "Good night, Sokka."

"'Night," Sokka replied softly. He sat cross-legged on top of his own sleeping bag.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Katara asked sleepily.

"In a minute," Sokka said after a moment's silence.

"Okay," Katara agreed drowsily, sleep already claiming her mind.

* * *

Katara woke the next morning, pleased to find herself situated perfectly in a patch of sunlight. She yawned and stretched lazily, sitting up. 

"You're up early," a sarcastic voice interrupted. Katara raised her head and saw Zuko looking at her with his fierce, golden eyes. Immediately, the night's events rushed back to her.

"Where did you go last night?" Katara demanded, trying to speak quietly because Sokka and Aang were still asleep.

"Where did _you _go last night?" Zuko countered. "I woke up, and you were gone."

"What is this, some kind of interrogation?" Katara asked, her voice rising despite herself. _What gives Zuko the right to question what I do? _she fumed. He's _the one who can't be trusted. _Aang stirred and murmured something in his sleep. Katara sighed and stood up, motioning for Zuko to follow her.

Out in the morning air, Katara turned to face Zuko, crossing her arms. "I had some… business to take care of," she said stiffly, hoping that he would infer her meaning.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. _Since when is "business" playing around with water in the middle of the night?_

"As did I," Zuko replied smoothly, noting satisfactorily Katara's barely audible sigh of frustration.

Katara didn't say another word; she turned and went back inside. After she finished putting on proper clothes behind the screen that stood in a corner, she went back outside. Zuko was still standing where she'd left him. Ignoring him, Katara walked through a series of twists and turns, following the waterway that led back to the courtyard. _I should probably visit the sickroom first, then maybe get some breakfast…_ Katara stopped when she heard the crunch of ice behind her. She turned around.

"Stop following me," Katara said, annoyed.

"I'm not following you," Zuko replied, a hint of indignation injected into his voice. He turned to look at a tall fountain in which a sculpted stone penguin continuously spewed water out of his mouth. "I'm just… taking a walk. I can't help it if we happen to be going the same way."

"Right," Katara said skeptically. "Just leave me alone."

"No problem," Zuko said through gritted teeth. _Does she really think that I have nothing better to do than follow her around? I have my own agenda to take care of! _Zuko seethed as Katara rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. He stood still for a moment, looking around. _Okay, so maybe I don't have anything to do, _he acknowledged in defeat. In the next moment, he brightened as an idea occurred to him. Zuko glanced around the little clearing. It was a rather small place, but he could definitely practice firebending in private here. Zuko began to feel excited at the prospect of finally getting to firebend. He had missed the way…

He threw a series of punches, fireballs flaring to life as they rocketed out from his fist. Zuko felt a thrill of happiness explode like tiny fireworks within himself.

His joy was cut short as his fireballs impacted the nearest ice wall.

* * *

Katara's eyes widened in shock as the wall of ice to her right suddenly started melting. _What the hell? _Katara raced back the way she had come. She stumbled into a small clearing to find Zuko standing in the center, frozen still as the wall before him melted into slush, water creeping towards him in a slow but definitely advancing fleet. 

"What's going on?" Katara asked in confusion. "What did you do?"

"Uh…" Zuko cleared his throat. "I was just… trying to practice firebending."

Katara stared.

"I didn't know this would happen!" he said defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.

Then Katara did something wholly unexpected to either of them. She burst out laughing.

"Sorry!" she managed to gasp through her laughter. Zuko glared at her. "I'm not laughing at you!" Katara cried, tears of mirth forming in her eyes. "Hold on," she instructed. Katara breathed in deeply a couple of times, and then lifted her arms. She concentrated on the water that had now spread to cover nearly half of the clearing's ground. Slowly, Katara halted the advancing water, then pushed it all back the way it had come. She formed the wall again. _Just like repairing the city, _Katara thought to herself. She inhaled, exhaled, and then froze the wall of water and slush back into smooth ice. Katara let out a sigh of satisfaction. She'd done that one all on her own. Katara turned back to Zuko.

Zuko let out his own sigh of relief. "Um…" he said hesitatingly, seemingly fighting some kind of inner battle.

Katara held her breath. "Yes?" she prompted. _Is he actually going to _thank _me this time? Has he finally started learning some manners?_

"Sorry about that," Zuko finished offhandedly. Katara exhaled loudly, disappointed.

"Should I even ask what you were thinking?" Katara asked, the corners of her mouth twitching.

Zuko scowled. She had been _laughing _at him. That was definitely a totally new experience for him. Maybe he'd been a bit _remiss_ in his plan to practice firebending while surrounded by walls made of ice, but that was no reason for her to ridicule him. Zuko started getting more and more angry. No one had ever had the courage to laugh at him, at least to his face, and he wasn't about to let some Water Tribe girl start now.

Katara rolled her eyes as she saw Zuko's hands start to smoke. "Did you forget what just happened?" Katara reminded Zuko. Annoyance started to well up in her as she recalled the way he'd just dismissed her help. "I'll leave you alone now," she said, turning to leave. "Try not to melt down the entire city," she added bitingly.

"Wait!" Zuko called, unable to stop himself. Katara faced him again.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

_Are you actually going to say some sort of thanks? _he asked himself. _She _did _help a bit… quite a bit…And it would be the proper thing to do. _Zuko struggled, unwilling to express some sort of gratefulness to the girl who had, seconds before, been laughing him with such derision. "You're better than I thought you were," he finally choked out. Katara eyed him with surprise.

"Thanks!" she replied, smiling confusedly. _Not exactly his undying gratitude and a wish to be my slave for life, but it's more than I expected._

"Not that I thought you were that good in the first place," Zuko couldn't stop himself from muttering. Zuko groaned as Katara's eyes narrowed. He really didn't know what it was about this girl that made him so unsure of himself. He braced himself for her retaliation. But to his surprise, she just shook her head at him.

"Of course," she said. "It would be too much to expect decent manners from _Fire _Nation royalty."

Zuko bristled. He was sure that the Fire Nation was infinitely more civilized than these Water Tribe people. But as much as Zuko tried to convince himself that he was in no way to blame, he couldn't deny the fact that she… was right. Well, he would show her. He could outdo her in etiquette any day.

"Th-thank you," he managed to say. He gave her an awkward bow.

Katara inwardly laughed as Zuko played right into her hands. It was… amusing… the way he let his competitive nature control him. And he did look funny trying to be the gallant gentleman. Katara showed none of this.

"Thank _you_," she replied, giving him a tiny smile.

Zuko couldn't stop the faint hint of the beginnings of a smile forming on his own face.

* * *

Katara had been working in the sickroom for a couple of hours when she decided to go outside and take a break. She wandered outside and sat down on a low stone bench, lost in her thoughts of her strange morning with Zuko. _He's such an enigma…_

"Katara!" Aang was running towards her. He stopped in front of her. "We're going to leave tomorrow, okay?"

"What?" Katara asked, taken aback. _Leave? _

"Since I've already mastered waterbending, it's time to travel to the Earth Kingdom," Aang explained. "I need to hurry up and learn earthbending. We don't have much stuff; we can leave on Appa tomorrow morning."

"But…" Katara started, trying to think of reasons to delay their departure. She faltered. Aang was right; he did need to learn earthbending, and fast. "Okay," she reluctantly agreed.

"Cheer up!" Aang said, giving her a bright smile. "Don't you think it'll be nice to travel again? Fly through the air… see the world…"

"Eat days-old bread… sleep in the dirt..." Katara added, but she smiled back at him.

Aang laughed. "I'll see you later, okay? I just need to talk to Chief Arnook." Aang thought. "He'll probably be overjoyed to hear that we're taking Zuko away with us."

Katara nodded. After Aang left, she went back to the sickroom.

"Katara!" Airi had woken up. Katara made her way to Airi's bedside. The little girl smiled at her, her eyes bright.

"How are you?" Katara asked softly.

"Great!" Airi replied. "Well," she amended, "it's been sort of lonely since that boy next to me left. I haven't had anyone to talk to." She brightened visibly a moment later. "I have you, Katara! I know that you won't leave me," she said confidently.

Katara fought back the tears that suddenly sprung to her eyes, threatening to cascade down her cheeks in an endless waterfall should she let them.

"Actually, Airi…" she began, her voice wavering. She faltered. _How do you tell a sick little girl that you're going to abandon her? _she wondered desperately.

"What is it, Katara?" Airi asked, her face heartbreakingly innocent and trusting.

_You have to tell her. You can't just disappear one day like her parents did, without saying good-bye. _Katara struggled with herself. A thought occurred to her. _Do I _have _to leave? _Katara put a hand to her chest at the craziness of her idea. _Don't be ridiculous! Aang needs you. Sokka needs you. Especially with Zuko around. They need you to keep them from killing each other, _she scolded herself. _But… so does Airi. So do all of these people in here. So does the Water Tribe. I have to help their wounded… precious few of the other waterbenders can heal… and I need to help them rebuild their city…It would only be for a little while. They can always come back for me. _Katara debated furiously, trying to weigh all of her options, her love for Aang and her brother against her love for Airi and the Water Tribe.

"Katara?" Airi spoke again. "Are you okay?" she asked concernedly. "Why do you look so sad, Katara? Don't be sad! _I_ won't ever leave you," she assured Katara. The little girl reached up and touched a quivering fingertip to the single tear that had managed to escape all of Katara's best defenses.

And Katara's heart broke. She couldn't leave. She just… couldn't.

"I'm not sad," Katara smiled through the tears that were blurring her vision. "And I won't ever leave you as long as you need me," she promised Airi.

"Good," Airi sighed in contentment. They sat in silence for awhile, Katara softly stroking the little girl's hair.

_How are you going to tell Sokka and Aang? _

* * *

**A/N: **Oy vey. It's 5:30 AM. I don't know how soon I can update because finals are coming up, but encouragement is quite persuasive. Please review! I love feedback. 


	6. Chapter 6: The Wind of Wishing

**Chapter 6: The Wind of Wishing  
**

As Katara walked back to their room that night, she couldn't help the doubts that began to squirm into her thoughts, swarming as they awakened in her mind. It had been easy to decide to stay when Airi had been right there, lying against her and looking up at her with eyes born of innocence and trust. Who could possibly say no to Airi? But now that she was away from the sickroom and outside in the cold chill of the night, Katara began having second thoughts. She'd been traveling with Aang and Sokka for so long now—what did she know about living on her own? She couldn't imagine life without them.

And there was something else that bothered her. Was she, in fact, just being selfish? Was it selfish of her to want to stop traveling, to settle down in one place and just lead a normal life? This, after all, had been her goal for as long as she could remember. Find someone who could teach her waterbending so that she could improve her waterbending skills. And she'd accomplished that. If she left now, then who knew the next time she would again meet a waterbending master? Everything that she had dreamed of and looked for back in the Southern Water Tribe was here. She wasn't being selfish, either. The whole reason she wanted to stay was to help the Northern Water Tribe. Help them rebuild, help heal their sick. Where was the selfishness in that?

Aang and Sokka would understand. They had to.

But even Katara didn't really believe her own words. _Do you really think that Sokka is just going to let you stay here by yourself? Do you really think that they're just going to congratulate you on your terrific idea of staying, give you a hearty pat on the back, and fly off with a "So long!"? _

Katara had never made such a bold decision that she knew would completely go against Sokka and Aang's wishes before. As scared and apprehensive as she felt, Katara also felt a little thrill of excitement. It had been a long time since she'd found Aang and traveled with him… they'd been through a lot together. Katara realized, with a surprising sense of pride, that she was different now. A bit, perhaps, more grown up. She could be independent. She could decide her own future. And she would let them know that as soon as she saw them.

As Katara neared the partly open door, she heard Aang's voice drifting out into the night. Firelight spilled out the doorway, illuminating a path for her as she walked closer. Her steps slowed. Yes, she had already made up her mind to tell them right away, but Katara started feeling nervous. She paused outside the door. _You're just stalling,_ she reprimanded herself. Taking a deep breath, Katara pushed open the door and stepped inside.

"What's going on?" she asked when she entered the room. Sokka was splashing water on his face from the basin in the corner, and Aang was air-drying his damp clothes. Zuko sat cross-legged on his sleeping bag.

"Chief Arnook invited us to a little going-away party," Aang explained. "He said that he couldn't let us leave without thanking us for our help."

"A party?" Katara asked. Relief and disappointment dueled each other as her plan fell to pieces. She couldn't possibly sadden them with such news right before a party, she reasoned. She should at least let them enjoy the night that they deserved. She would just have to tell them in the morning.

"Just something simple," Aang replied. "We didn't exactly give him too much notice." He finished drying his clothes and looked up at Katara. "What's wrong, Katara?"

"Nothing," Katara said slowly. A small smile gradually inched its way across her face. This party could be a good thing; it would give her time to make sure that her argument was sound. And she could enjoy one last worry-free night with her brother and Aang.

* * *

"And I would personally like to thank Aang, the Avatar, for all his help in the battle with the Fire Navy," Chief Arnook said loudly to the small crowd of people who had come to say goodbye "We all owe our lives to him." Aang smiled and the two bowed to each other as the crowd clapped and cheered.

"Sokka, a fierce warrior who battled courageously," Chief Arnook continued. Sokka, grinning widely, stepped forward and bowed as the Water Tribe chief did the same. Zuko, who was standing at the fringes of the crowd, leaning against the wall of a building, snorted. "And Katara, whose help in rebuilding the city and healing our wounded has been invaluable." Katara blushed as the Water Tribe people cheered for her, too.

When the short speeches were over, some of the crowd left to go back to their nightly duties, but some stayed to take pleasure in a night of dancing and good food. Katara thought that the Water Tribe people definitely could do with some amusement and entertainment after all the grief in the aftermath of the battle. It was good for them to relax and enjoy each other's company. After all, none of them should forget the reason why they were fighting this war.

She was walking towards the long table laden with food when she noticed Zuko standing against a wall, shadows nearly swallowing his body. He had a scowl on his face. Katara realized that he was probably pretty bored, since he didn't know anyone at all. And maybe he was even a bit… lonely. Katara shrugged as she walked towards Zuko. It couldn't hurt to try being a little nicer to him, especially since she would be rid of him for good come tomorrow morning. Zuko eyed her warily as she approached. He shifted his weight to his other foot, but he didn't move away.

"Hi," Katara said, hesitant. Zuko wondered what the girl wanted from him.

"Hi," he returned, keeping his voice rough. Katara sighed and plowed on.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" she asked conversationally. "Do you like the music? Have you tried any of the food yet?"

Zuko wished that Katara would hurry up and get to the point instead of trying to make small talk. He had only come out because he'd been incredibly bored, but the Water Tribe chief's speeches were enough to make him want to run straight back. What exactly had that Water Tribe boy accomplished, anyway? He certainly didn't deserve all the honor and respect being accorded to him. _Zuko _was more worthy of the Water Tribe people's reverence and admiration. _He _had been the one who'd fought off Admiral Zhao. Never mind that he'd tried to rescue Zhao at the last minute. Zuko grunted in response to Katara.

Seeing that Zuko wasn't going to engage in civilized, polite conversation, Katara tried changing her tactics.

"Will you be glad to leave?" she asked.

"Of course," Zuko finally spoke, sounding surprised. "The Northern Water Tribe and a city full of water don't exactly spell out 'home' for me," he added sarcastically.

"Me neither," Katara said softly.

Zuko shot her a look of surprise. What was she talking about? She was a waterbender, wasn't she? She was among her own kind. Not just _among _them—_honored _by them. What could she possibly have to complain about?

"No? But water is your element," Zuko said, confused. "And these are your people."

"Not exactly," Katara said slowly. "Yes, water is my element, and these people are wonderful, but they're not the people I know at home. This city," she spread her arms out wide, "is so beautiful and advanced, but I miss the simple tents and open snow fields of the Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko tilted his head, surprised. He hadn't expected Katara to sound so homesick, especially when she was staying with a water tribe. Zuko had always kept his own homesickness at bay, focusing on more important things. He knew that his crew looked to him, and he also knew that he had to set an example for them. He couldn't be homesick because that would give his crew permission to forget what they had to do and allow depression to steal their focus away from their duties. But here, listening to Katara talk about her own home… there was no crew. There was no one to he had to be an example for. So Zuko let a few, tiny thoughts of home surface in his mind right then. Not anything major. A sun-warmed, stone bench hidden in a far corner of the palace gardens that he liked to sit on when he just wanted to be alone and think. The feel of grass underneath his feet. The feel of drowning in a cascade of warm sunshine. Memories. But not enough, of course, to show Katara anything.

As annoying as the girl could be, Zuko hadn't forgotten the way she'd danced in the water dress one moonlit night. He hadn't forgotten the way she'd helped him when he'd accidentally started melting walls. And now, she was telling him that no, she wasn't perfectly happy, that she missed her home. Like he did. Zuko was coming to see that maybe he didn't really know all there was to know about this girl. She just kept surprising him at every turn.

"I miss my family," Katara suddenly said in a far away voice. "I haven't seen them for so long."

"You have your brother," Zuko pointed out.

"But my father, Gran-Gran… my mother," Katara said softly. She looked up at Zuko, curious. He never talked much about his past. Actually, she'd never heard him talk about his past at all. "What about you? Do you have any siblings? Do you miss your family?"

The weight of her innocent question hit him suddenly, and Zuko had to take a step back. His family? His sister, who despised him? His father, who thought him weak and spineless? His mother…

"What about you?" he countered, focusing the attention on her, on _her _past. "What happened to your father? Your mother?" Zuko had a cursory interest in Katara's family at best, but there was no way that he was going to just start spilling his guts to her. Why did she think she had _any right_ to know about his past? It was his, and his alone. He didn't need to share anything with _her. _

Katara's eyes widened in surprise at Zuko's response. She knew it had been too much for her to hope that he would answer her questions, but she hadn't expected him to turn around and start questioning _her. _Well, if he refused to share his past with her, then she saw no reason to share hers with _him. _

The two stared at each other, neither trusting the other. The silence between them lengthened, grew taut with thick tension.

Katara finally broke it. "I'm going to get something to drink," she said, turning away and leaving Zuko alone. He could stay by himself for the rest of the night for all she cared. See how much fun he had with no one to talk to but his shadow on the wall.

* * *

That night, Katara had a hard time falling asleep. Thoughts of how she would break the news to Sokka and Aang plagued her mind and conscience as she tossed and turned inside her sleeping bag, unable to get comfortable. She finally fell into a restless sleep, but she woke less than an hour later. Katara tried going back to sleep, but the blissful ignorance she sought denied her passage. She groaned as she stared up at the ceiling. Finally accepting the fact that she wasn't going to get a bit of peaceful rest tonight, she got up. Katara had her hand on the doorknob when a low voice, right beside her ear, stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Her heart stopped. Slowly, her eyes wide, Katara turned around. Zuko was standing behind her. How he'd gotten so close to her without her noticing she couldn't fathom. His golden eyes were narrowed, his penetrating stare pinning her against the door. Katara's eyes traveled behind Zuko. Aang was still asleep, and Sokka had apparently fallen asleep sitting up. He'd probably had a bit too much fun at the party and had simply gone to sleep before he could get into his sleeping bag.

"Why is it any of your concern?" Katara asked, allowing just a hint of annoyance to tinge her voice. She struggled to keep her breathing nice and even, although having Zuko so near her was… disconcerting, to say the least.

Zuko took a step back, crossing his arms over the chest.

"It isn't," he replied smoothly. "But if you're going out to practice waterbending again, then I thought that maybe we could… spar."

Her initial shock came from his suggesting that they… _train _with each other. Her second shock came when his words fully sank in.

"How do you know," Katara hissed, "what I was doing last night?" She glared at him.

"I wasn't spying on you, if that's what you're implying," Zuko said calmly. _At least, I wasn't _purposely _spying on you. _"It's not my fault if you were just out there in the open like that."

Embarrassment began to override Katara's anger. Scarlet dusted her cheeks as she remembered the way she had been singing and—darn it all—_dancing. _She must have looked incredibly stupid and foolish.

"Come on," she muttered angrily. Angry at what? Him, for spying on her? Herself, for being so careless and ignorant? Katara opened the door and stepped outside, Zuko following close behind. She made her way to a large, open area by the steps that led down into the water. She remembered how it was here that Aang had tried teaching her waterbending… until Master Pakku interrupted them. _Aang. _Katara shook her head quickly, bringing her mind back to the present.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Katara asked dubiously. "Remember what happened last time?" She glanced up at the dark sky. Daylight was still a few hours away. A shy half-moon tried to conceal herself behind wispy clouds, but the moon was visible all the same.

"That won't happen again," Zuko said confidently. "I can beat you, night or no." He had stripped off his outer clothing and was left wearing a fitted, light grey tunic and dark grey pants. Zuko stepped forward and leaned down on one knee, stretching his muscles.

"Oh?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow. They faced each other, both crouching down in a fighting stance. Seconds passed as the tension augmented. Each breath Katara took sounded loud in her ears, and she could see the vapor escaping from Zuko's mouth. It was a chilly night.

Zuko made the first move. He strode towards her, throwing a series of punches and sending a stream of fireballs at her. Katara reacted quickly, tossing up a shield of water that devoured Zuko's fire in a hissing cloud of steam. Undeterred, Zuko spun and kicked. Katara dodged the flames and backed up until she felt her feet splash into the water on the steps. Heartened, Katara formed a long water whip. She swung it down at Zuko with as much speed and strength as she could, but he threw up a forearm and the water whip cracked harmlessly against it.

Zuko was coming closer towards her, his eyes narrowed with a look of hard focus and concentration. Katara backed up uneasily, shivering as she moved into deeper water. She remembered exactly what move had stopped him last time, but she needed more space, more distance, between them before she could execute the gigantic ice trap that would render him incapable of movement. The water was so cold, and Zuko just kept charging closer towards her. Terror wrapped her in a choking embrace.

_No, don't come any closer. Stay away from me!_

Desperate, Katara bended an orb of water out of the liquid around her and froze it. She started spinning out sharp ice disks at Zuko's advancing form. He dodged the first two, but the third one barely caught him on his cheek. He growled as a thin, crimson line appeared. Katara's mind was racing. She hadn't meant to draw blood. _Wasn't this supposed to be a spar?_

But it was too late now, and Zuko's fury seemed to have completely possessed him. With a snarl, Zuko leaped at her, tackling her to the ground. Katara shrieked as she tried to fight back. With a well-aimed kick, she sent him sprawling across the top of the steps. Katara lunged at him, aiming for his stomach, but he caught her arms and rolled over, his weight pinning her to the ground. Katara struggled, trying to free her arms, but Zuko held them tightly against the ground above her head. He hissed as he slid one hand up until it encircled her wrists. Katara stopped thrashing and looked at Zuko. A drop of blood from the cut on his cheek fell onto her own.

Their eyes locked, and the entire world started spinning faster and faster, with them motionless in the heart of it. His amber eyes flickered with something that she couldn't read; his face was only inches from hers. She could see the vapor that escaped with each ragged breath that he took, feel his chest as it contracted and expanded against her. She could feel his heart race, beating in time with hers. Absently, Katara realized that she didn't feel at all cold anymore. Panting heavily, she didn't move, struggling only to regain her breath. They stared at each other, both of them completely stock-still, frozen in time, captivated by something that seemed to strip away both words and thoughts. Moments passed as their breathing and pounding hearts gradually slowed. He spoke first.

"Do you surrender?" he whispered. Katara stared up at him. Then she brought her knee up. Zuko had the wind knocked out of him as her knee connected with his lower stomach, and in the split second his concentration broke, Katara wrenched her arms free and threw herself sideways, rolling over until she sat atop Zuko's chest. Both her hands reached forward and pushed down on his forearms.

Katara leaned in closer. "Do _you _surrender?" she countered. Zuko didn't answer. Both of them were well aware that Katara had left Zuko's legs completely free, that, if he wanted to, he could easily throw her off of him. But Zuko didn't move.

"Get off me," he finally said, calmly. A heartbeat that seemed to last an eternity, and then Katara let go of Zuko's arms and lifted herself off of him. Immediately, a wind blew, chilling her wet clothes. Katara couldn't help a slight shiver as she stood up. Zuko got up and strode a few steps away from her, standing with his back to her. The silence stretched out. It was Zuko, this time, who finally broke it.

"We could do this every few nights," he said, his tone even. "We both need someone to practice with."

"We can't," Katara said, before she could stop herself. Zuko turned around and faced her.

"Why not?" he asked. "If you're afraid of… that… happening again, you don't need to be. We'll make some rules. No physical combat. Just bending."

"It's not that," Katara said. She began to wish that she hadn't agreed to spar with Zuko in the first place.

"Then what is it?" Zuko pressed. "Are you afraid?" he challenged. Katara stood up and met his eyes.

"I can't practice with you," she said clearly, "because I'm not leaving the Water Tribe with you guys."

Zuko turned around again, facing the water instead of her. "I see." A moment of silence, then, "Have you told them yet?" Katara stared at his silhouette, trying to figure out what he was thinking. But he was a statue to her, carved from impenetrable, inflexible stone.

"No," she finally answered. "And I would appreciate it if you didn't, either. I think this is something I should tell them myself."

Zuko nodded in assent, then began walking back towards their room. Katara took a moment to bend the water out of her damp clothes and then followed him. They both slipped back into their sleeping bags in silence, though Katara noticed that she never quite heard his breathing descend into the regular, rhythmic breaths of deep sleep.

* * *

The sky was still dark when Aang shook her awake.

"Wake up, Katara!" he said urgently. "It's time to go!"

"Already?" Katara mumbled. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she got up. All three of the boys were busy packing. Katara felt her stomach turn over as she remembered what was planned for that morning. Last night's party had been so nice that she hadn't wanted to ruin it by bringing up her staying. She'd wanted that one, last night to joke around with Sokka and Aang. She'd wanted to remember them the way they were then, happy and looking forward to the future. Besides, the right time had never come up.

"Why do we need to leave so early?" Katara asked desperately. Maybe delaying their departure would give her enough time to come up with the perfect thing to say.

"We should leave before the sun comes up," Aang explained. "The darkness will be good cover if there are still Fire Navy ships nearby."

Katara sat on her sleeping bag, watching as Sokka and Zuko rolled up theirs.

"You better hurry up," Sokka admonished. "We're almost done." He followed Aang outside, where Katara could see Appa resting quietly. The two boys busily began to stock up the large saddlebags.

"You really don't have much time left," Zuko said dryly as he hefted his own pack onto his back. Katara knew exactly what he was talking about—the boys were almost ready to leave. Neither of them mentioned their duel last night. Katara was almost sorry that she and Zuko would be parting so soon. He wasn't turning out to be at all the way she'd first thought of him. The rudeness was there, as was the arrogance, but Katara had also seen something else. Was it possible that spoiled Prince Zuko actually had something beneath the layers of masks he wore? Well, Katara thought dismissively, it wasn't like she would get the chance to find out.

Katara wandered outside and stood silently, watching as Sokka and Aang made last-minute adjustments. Sokka saw her and waved.

"It's almost time to go, Katara!" he called.

_You _have _to say something now. You can't _possibly_ put it off any longer. _

Katara cleared her throat.

"Um… Sokka? Aang?" she said nervously, her voice quivering. "Could I talk to you guys?" The two boys exchanged a glance. Aang jumped off the saddle, and he and Sokka came over to her. Katara could see Zuko eyeing the three of them with an unreadable expression out of the corner of her eye.

"What's going on, Katara?" Sokka asked worriedly.

"I'm…" _Just spit it out, Katara. _"I'm not going with you guys. I'm staying here."

Aang's eyes widened, but it was Sokka's reaction that Katara feared the most. He didn't let her down.

"_What?_" he asked incredulously, staring at her in disbelief. "What do you mean, you're _staying_?"

Katara steeled her nerves and looked at her brother straight in the eye. "I'm staying here, with the Northern Water Tribe."

It seemed that Sokka was at a loss for words. His mouth hung open as he spluttered. Finally, one word managed to form. "_Why?_"

All the reasons that Katara had thought up for staying fluttered crazily within her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

"Sokka…," she began calmly. "The tribe needs me. You know that they need waterbenders to help fix the city… and they have so few waterbenders who can heal…" _Please understand. _

"You haven't even been here that long, Katara!" Sokka said. "I'm sure they could survive without you. _We _need you more."

"I can't, Sokka," Katara said, trying to sound firm. "I already made up my mind."

Sokka gaped at her. "But—"

"_No_," Katara cut him off. She knew that if she allowed the slightest bit of hesitation to show, Sokka would pounce on it and convince her to go with them. He always tried to take the leadership role, tried to make decisions for the three of them, but this time Katara had to stand her ground.

"Aang?" Sokka gestured to Aang, who had been silently watching their exchange.

"She's right, Sokka," Aang said helplessly. "The tribe does need her. And we can't force her to come with us." Sokka stepped back as the quiet strength of Aang's betrayal hit him.

"Fine," he said, his face hardening. Katara watched in confusion as Sokka stalked over to the saddlebags and started unloading his stuff. He pulled out his sleeping bag, and then his pack.

"What are you doing?" she asked warily.

"If _you're _staying, I'm staying," Sokka spat. "I can't help whatever crazy ideas you come up with, but I'm not going to leave you alone."

Katara rolled her eyes and marched over to Sokka. He could be so _stubborn._ She grabbed him by his sleeve and dragged him a short distance away.

"Listen," she hissed. "You can't possibly leave Aang alone with _Zuko_. Who knows what Zuko will do? Remember, you're supposed to help the Avatar. We can't _both _leave him."

"There's no way you're staying here by yourself, Katara," Sokka said, folding his arms across his chest. "You _can't._"

"Why?" Katara challenged. "I'll be safe with the Water Tribe people."

"Because—because you're a _girl_!" Sokka finally said in desperation. Katara's eyes narrowed. She'd thought that Sokka had gotten over that particular detail about her ages ago, but apparently she was wrong. She couldn't believe that after all they'd been through, especially in the past few weeks, he still believed her weak and defenseless.

"And you think that makes me incapable of taking care of myself?" she asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"No, of course not," Sokka answered hastily, "but… oh, Katara, do you have to make this so hard? I just… I just want to make sure you're safe."

Katara's eyes softened at Sokka's pleading face. She felt her anger drain away. He was her brother; of course he wanted to keep her safe. She couldn't blame him for wanting to stay with her, and she couldn't get angry at him, either. Katara sighed.

"I know, Sokka," she replied gently. "But how safe do you think I'll be with you three? You know that the Fire Nation still wants to find Aang, and then there's Zuko…" Katara's voice trailed off as her thoughts turned to Zuko. Would he ever hurt her? Katara thought back to the way he'd been on top of her, the moon in the sky behind him and their hearts pounding together in one, single rhythm. She'd been completely at his mercy then, completely _alone_, and he'd let her go. Somehow, she didn't think that she had to be afraid of Zuko. But Sokka didn't have to know that. If believing that Zuko might be dangerous helped convince Sokka to let her stay, then she was all for it. She continued. "You don't want me around _Zuko, _do you?"

Sokka growled in frustration, but he couldn't deny the truth of Katara's words.

"Fine," he said tersely. He started to turn away to put his things back into Appa's saddlebags, but Katara grabbed his arm again and turned him around to face her.

"Don't be like that, Sokka," Katara said softly. "It won't be for long. We'll see each other again, I promise."

Sokka stared at her, and Katara could see the maelstrom of emotions playing across his face. He sighed deeply. On impulse, Katara threw her arms around him and whispered, "I'm going to miss you." She really didn't know what being apart from Sokka would be like. In all her life, he'd been the one constant thing that she could depend on. He had always been there for her, from the moment she'd been born up until this very minute. Katara felt Sokka stiffen, then relax. She thought she saw a shadowy figure out of the corner of her eye, but all thoughts of strange specters flew away as Sokka's arms came around her in a fierce hug.

"I'll miss you, too," Sokka said quietly. Katara pulled back from him and pretended not to notice his slight sniffle.

"At least there will be more food to go around, right?" Katara tried joking to lighten the mood. She felt a bit better when Sokka gave a weak laugh.

"Come on," he said, heading back towards Appa and Aang. Katara paused for a second, wiping her face and then her wet fingers against her coat, then followed her brother.

Zuko watched the two siblings as they talked. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he definitely couldn't miss the hug that they shared. Zuko felt a strange mixture of emotions at how much the siblings seemed to care about one another. They didn't normally show anything, but Zuko could tell that all the affection was there. And it bothered him. Truthfully, it bothered him that it bothered him. He couldn't quite place the reason why.

Was it because he, Zuko, had never had that kind of relationship with his own sibling? But he didn't care about Zula at all, Zuko reasoned to himself. He didn't care if she thought him worthless. She meant nothing to him. He didn't need anyone's help, anyone's _love. _It all just made people weaker. The Water Tribe boy was a perfect example. He was letting his love for his sister weaken his resolve, get in the way of what he had to do. Love was definitely a worthless emotion, reserved for the helpless. It strangled you. Kept you from accomplishing what needed to be done. It made you hurt on the inside, _ache_, until you couldn't possibly feel anything anymore. Love made you _vulnerable. _And Zuko couldn't accept that.

But he had seen the glistening drops of water that had fallen from Katara's eyes, though her brother had missed them, and he couldn't help but feel confused. Obviously, Katara was also tragically afflicted with this emotion, but she had gotten her way in the end. And again, she managed to surprise him. If she loved her brother and the Avatar so much, then what could possibly be keeping her here? Was she trying to stay away from _him_? Zuko told himself that he couldn't care less if he never saw Katara again, but even as the thought formed, he knew that he was lying to himself. It wasn't so much that he _liked _her, or anything foolish like that. She just… intrigued him.

Aang gave Katara and Sokka a tiny smile as they approached.

"Everything okay?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Katara replied. Aang sighed.

"You couldn't convince her?" Aang asked Sokka dispiritedly. Sokka spread out his arms helplessly in a silent response. Aang turned back to Katara. "Maybe _I _should try convincing you to come with us," he said.

Katara smiled at him. "But I know you won't," she replied.

"How can you be so sure?" Aang asked, but he spoke again before Katara could respond. "But you're right. I can't."

"Thank you, Aang," Katara said softly. She bent her head down and gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head. "For understanding."

"That's me—the forgiving and understanding Avatar," Aang said lightly. Katara forced a laugh, though she couldn't remember the last time she'd ever found something so humorless. Katara walked closer to the bison and placed a hand on his shaggy fur.

"I'll miss you, too, Appa," she said quietly. A lemur ran across her hand and squeaked indignantly. Katara smiled. "And you, Momo." Satisfied, Momo turned and scurried up into the saddle.

Sokka and Aang climbed up into the saddle next to Zuko and Momo. Zuko seemed wary of the lemur, who was eyeing Zuko curiously. Katara watched as Sokka and Aang settled in with Zuko, the three of them looking as natural and comfortable as if it had always been Aang, Sokka, and Zuko instead of Aang, Sokka, and Katara. Katara fought the tears that sprang to her eyes. Zuko was already replacing her.

She looked up at him in the saddle, his face stony and impenetrable. Katara waved up at him, calling, "If you do anything to them, you'll have _me _to answer to." Zuko inclined his head.

"Goodbye, Katara!" Aang called. Sokka looked like he was having a last minute change of mind; he was inching towards the edge of the saddle as if he planned on climbing back down, but Aang had already taken hold of the reins.

"Yip yip!" Aang cried, and the giant bison lifted into the air with a cry of "Katara!" from Sokka.

The sun spilled over the horizon, splashing his canvas of sky brilliant, warm hues of gold, orange, pink, and crimson. Fluffy clouds throbbed with glorious shades, white cotton balls dipped in celestial paint. The heavens had dressed themselves magnificently this dawn, beautiful and warm. But inside, all Katara felt was cold.

Through the clouds in her eyes, Katara watched them fly away and wished that she had wings.

* * *

**A/N: **Whoa. Too bad Katara had to stay, eh? Just when things were maybe starting to change…

That was a really long chapter. It took forever to write, revise, and edit, so I hope that you liked it. Please let me know if it's too long and if I should try to make my chapters shorter. I also want to ask how the character development's going. If you think I'm rushing things, just stick around for a couple more chapters and see where the story goes. ;-)

Much thanks to **Dracori** for answering my many questions while I was writing this. She saved me from making some really embarrassing mistakes. XD

And this is a big, heartfelt **THANK YOU** to all of you for 100+ reviews! I could never thank you guys enough. You're all seriously my inspiration and motivation. I hope I didn't disappoint! I don't want to give too much away, but yes, I am aware that this is a ZK romance. Have hope.


	7. Chapter 7: Everything Falls Apart

**Chapter 7: Everything Falls Apart**

**A/N: **This chapter is dedicated to you, **UPDATE!**, because your review made me laugh so hard. Who are you? Don't be shy. XD

* * *

Katara remained outside for awhile, looking at the sky long after the shaggy bison had diminished to a tiny speck and then nothing. They were gone, and she didn't know when she would ever see them again.

The sun rose steadily, creating a warmer day than Katara had felt in weeks.

A thousand doubts and misgivings crowded her mind, but Katara pushed them all away. There was no use feeling regret now. It was too late; she'd already made her decision; they'd already flown away and left her behind.

When Katara stepped inside, she was a bit startled by how bare the room now looked, with only one lone sleeping bag and one pack turned on its side, its contents spilling out across the fluffy carpet. Katara crawled into her sleeping bag, her heart aching and anguish pouring out of her chest, so that her front became dampened by it.

_Do they miss me? Are they thinking of me at all? Do they know how sorry I feel? How lonely?_

It was a long time before sleep came.

* * *

Sitting for hours in the saddle was numbing his legs. Zuko sighed. At least on the ship, he'd been able to walk around, maybe even run a bit if no one was around. True, flying was a pretty amazing experience. Okay, so he'd been a bit scared at first (not that he would let the other two know it), but after he'd gotten over his initial fear, it hadn't been that bad. Well, it had been terribly cold and windy being so high up, but the cold wasn't anything he'd never experienced before.

And the view from up on the bison's back was kind of interesting. Of course, that had been when they were actually flying over towns that broke the monotony of the snowscape. Now they were just flying over endless ocean, and Zuko was getting more than a little bored. There wasn't anything to do, anything to see.

Shifting in his seat, Zuko stole a glance at the saddle's other two occupants. The Water Tribe boy had his head on his knees, but Zuko didn't miss the dirty looks the boy gave him when he thought Zuko wasn't looking. The Avatar was still directing the bison, his back turned to both of them. Zuko sighed again and pulled his blanket up so that it covered his crossed legs.

No one spoke much. The prevailing mood wasn't exactly chipper. Zuko began wondering exactly what he'd gotten himself into. He didn't know how to act around these people. They didn't ask him for orders the way his crew members did. They didn't seem to care much about his opinion at all.

While Zuko couldn't help but feel a bit disgruntled (after all, on _his _ship he'd been the absolute king), he also couldn't help but feel a bit… relieved. It had been a lot of pressure, running a ship and commanding an entire crew. Zuko was actually sort of enjoying not having any responsibilities. And life definitely was becoming a lot less predictable.

Like the way Katara had decided to stay behind. Zuko clenched his fists in frustration as the girl inevitably wandered into his mind again. She was a constant source of puzzlement. A conundrum… something for him to figure out. Zuko relaxed his hands. That was the only reason why he was thinking about her at all. Of course his intellectual mind would be intrigued by and drawn to enigmatic riddles. It had nothing to do with personal feelings. Nothing at all.

* * *

When Katara woke and stumbled back outside, she noticed that it was nearly noon. The sun was so fiery and bright that her eyes took awhile to adjust. Katara couldn't remember the last time she'd experienced such a sunny day since she'd come to the North Pole. It was unusual. Unusual, and a bit unwelcome. Any other day, Katara would have been glad for the warmth and sunshine. Today, though, she just wanted the world to reflect her sorrow.

Maybe seeing Airi would cheer her up. Katara started walking towards the sickroom, but she kept getting an eerie feeling that someone was watching her. Thoughts of the shadows she'd seen earlier that morning when she'd been with Sokka flitted into her mind, but Katara pushed them away. She didn't know why she felt so spooked, especially on such a sun-drenched day.

Katara hurried forward, the sound of crunching ice beneath her feet masking the sounds of any follower. She walked faster, not daring to turn around and look back. _Just make it to the sickroom. Then you'll be safe. _

But after a few more steps, Katara was absolutely sure that someone was following her. Dimly, Katara knew that she should be afraid, at least a bit, but she really was too weary to care.

"Who's there?" Katara called tiredly. "Come out, please. I don't have time for games."

Someone was emerging from the shadows. Katara's blood ran cold when she recognized the Fire Nation uniform. The figure slowly advanced.

"What?" Katara asked in confusion, but she was forced to react quickly when the soldier sent a burst of fire at her. Katara dodged the attack, but just barely. She gathered water from a nearby water way, intent on forming it into a water whip, but she was just so _exhausted_, and the sun was such intense, dazzling _light_, and the flames were coming at her…

The last thing Katara remembered was… a _girl?_ leaning over her and catching her as she fell.

* * *

"Okay," the Avatar said. Zuko's head snapped up. It was the first time anyone had spoken since they'd started flying. The Avatar got up and stood in front of him and the Water Tribe boy, his hands on his hips. "This can't go on."

Zuko stared at the boy in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice a bit scratchy from disuse.

"If we're going to be traveling together, we have to be able to talk to each other," the Avatar said patiently. "How are we going to defeat the Fire Lord together if we can't even share polite conversation?"

He really was too friendly and trusting for his own good, Zuko thought. He chanced a look at the Water Tribe boy. He was wearing a look that seemed to be a cross between anger and skepticism.

"Well, Avatar," Zuko began, but the Avatar cut him off.

"No more of that," the Avatar said. "If we're going to be friends, then you have to call me by my name. It's 'Aang,'" the boy offered with a hopeful grin. Zuko raised an eyebrow, but he sighed and complied.

"Okay, …Aang. And you, Water Tribe boy—" Zuko said, but he was interrupted by a short growl from the Water Tribe boy. He got up and stood in front of Zuko. The two men were nearly eye-to-eye, though Zuko noted with satisfaction that he was still taller. _Ha. _

"My name," the Water Tribe boy said through clenched teeth, enunciating every word, "is Sokka."

Zuko rolled his eyes. What was it with these people and being called by their names? On his ship, he hadn't even bothered to learn more than a few of his crew members' names. They hadn't seemed to care either way when he addressed them with a short bark of "You!"; then again, Zuko realized, maybe they had just been too afraid to say anything.

"Right. If we're all getting called what we want, then _you,_" Zuko pointed at Sokka, "better call me _'Prince _Zuko.'"

Sokka snorted and leaned right back in Zuko's face.

"And _you,_" Sokka said, jabbing a finger at Zuko's chest, "better call me 'Sokka, Fiercest Warrior of Them All.'"

"You can call me 'Prince Zuko the Unconquerable!'"

"And _you _can call me 'Sokka, Ruler of the World!'"

"Hey!" Aang shouted, jumping between them before someone fell out of the saddle. "Stop fighting!"

He pointed a finger at them both. "You're Sokka, and you're Zuko, and that's it."

Then Aang smiled. "I know what we can do for some fun."

* * *

When Katara came to, she tried to reach a hand up to rub her eyes, but for some reason, she couldn't move. Katara tugged harder. Who was holding back her hand?

Slowly, Katara realized that she was in the sickroom, the exact place she had been trying to reach. Most of the patients were resting on their beds, though a few were awake. She couldn't see any of the healers. Katara's head pounded, and a dull ache throbbed in her right temple.

"Are we feeling any better?" A smug voice penetrated Katara's hazy cloud of confusion.

Katara looked up in shock. Standing before her was a young girl, maybe Sokka's age, dressed in the Fire Nation uniform. This must have been the soldier who'd been following her.

"Who are you?" Katara asked hatefully. "What do you want?" She struggled to break free, but her efforts were in vain as she suddenly became conscious of the fact that she was tied to something.

"Who _I _am isn't any of your concern," the girl replied. "What you should be worried about is who _you _are."

"What are you talking about?" Katara spat. This girl wasn't making any sense.

"Oh, I know who you are, _Katara, _friend of the Avatar."

_Oh, no. _

"What does this have to do with Aang?" Katara asked, even though she already had a glimmering of an idea.

"It's simple, really. I saw the way you two seemed so _close _this morning," the girl explained smoothly. "It really was too bad that I didn't have enough soldiers with me to capture him then and there. But actually, I'm not too displeased with the way things have worked out. I do prefer a certain… _delicacy _in my operations."

Hazily, the shadowy figure she'd seen trickled into her memory. Thoughts whirled inside her head, but she couldn't seem to make sense of anything. Was this all Zuko's doing? Had he led this girl here? Katara was gripped by sudden, icy fear as the thought of Zuko betraying them all flooded into her head. _We shouldn't have trusted him! I knew he had some kind of ulterior motive!_

The girl suddenly leaned in closer. "And what was dear _Zuko_ doing with you and the Avatar?" she hissed.

Okay, so Zuko hadn't betrayed them. This girl obviously had no idea why she'd seen the prince of the Fire Nation consorting with the Avatar. That made Katara feel a little better.

"He's joined forces with Aang!" Katara said defiantly. She wondered why this girl was referring to Zuko so casually. The girl didn't seem to be according him the respect that Katara thought a Fire Nation citizen would show her prince.

"With the _Avatar_?" the girl nearly shrieked. Then she began laughing maniacally, throwing her head back so that her ugly cackling echoed and bounced off the walls. "What a joke!" She stopped laughing abruptly. "I always knew he would turn traitor. But no matter. I'll get him _and _the Avatar. And _you,_" she turned to face Katara again, "are going to help me. Yes," she put a hand to her chin thoughtfully, "you'll prove to be quite useful."

Just then, Katara was distracted by Fire Nation soldiers marching in, each carrying an armful of dry wood. Katara didn't miss the delighted look on the girl's face as the soldiers, their faces devoid of emotion, set down the wood in large piles around the beds.

People had figured out that something was wrong now. They were running, trying to escape. The soldiers paid them no attention. Katara wondered desperately why the Water Tribe wasn't mounting an attack on the soldiers. Why weren't they getting organized? Why was everyone in such a state of mindless panic?

Yes, it was midday and the sun was at its zenith, but the Water Tribe people were on their own turf, surrounded by ice walls and all the water they could ever want at their disposal. In fact, the only thing that disrupted the total domination of water was the wood. _Wood. _And slowly, the purpose of the wood seeped into her mind. Katara's mouth dropped open in horror.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked slowly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Have you figured out my plan, dear Katara?" the girl asked with pleasure, clearly relishing the moment. "Do you know what I'm going to do?"

"You're going to… set them on—on—" Katara couldn't bear to finish her sentence.

"Fire?" the girl supplied helpfully. "Oh, yes. Fire is such a lovely thing, isn't it?" the girl said, almost dreamily. She softly caressed the word, held it in the palm of her hand reverently.

Then she lazily raised an arm and shot a flame at the nearest woodpile, which instantly alighted, the fire crackling ominously. "So quick to spread," the girl continued, as the fire started jumping to other woodpiles, growing bigger and more threatening by the second. The flames were climbing higher and higher now in a deathly dance, stretching to the ceiling.

Smoke began to fill the room, mushrooming clouds that obscured the running figures, as if they were all lost in some foggy dreamscape.

The screams were getting louder now.

* * *

"Come on, Appa!" Aang cried, directing the bison down closer to the water. "It's such a hot day, don't you think?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Uh… Aang? What are you doing?" Sokka asked suspiciously. Zuko silently agreed with the Water Tribe boy. The Avatar seemed to have gone crazy.

"Having some fun!" Aang whooped as the bison descended closer to the ocean, his toes barely skimming the water. Zuko felt the salty ocean spray tease his face, covering him in feather-light kisses.

"We're not supposed to be playing games, Aang," Sokka said reproachfully, but he was knocked off his feet a second later when the bison lifted his gigantic tail and slammed it into the ocean. Water flew everywhere. "Ow!"

Aang laughed as Sokka stood up, dripping wet and a bump already forming on his head.

"What was that for?" Sokka asked, flicking his hair out of his eyes and glaring at Aang.

Aang was clutching his stomach in laughter now, and Zuko managed a slight smile at the look of disgust on the Water Tribe boy's face.

* * *

"You can't!" Katara managed to scream, nearly choking. "You can't just kill them!" Anger, disgust, and horror welled up inside her so that she couldn't hold it all in anymore, and it spilled out on her face and in her voice.

"And why not?" the girl replied, infuriatingly calm, as if she were questioning the absurdity of breathing in order to live.

"They're… they're _people_!" Katara screamed in frustration. She struggled at the ropes that rendered her hands useless. She wanted to leap at the girl in front of her, attack her and make her _suffer. _Helpless, Katara could do nothing but spit into the girl's face. She seemed startled, but she laughed as she wiped the moisture off her cheek.

"Hm… a bit feisty, aren't we?" the girl said silkily. "You'd best try to control that. It might get you in some… _trouble._"

"They're humans! Unlike you!" Katara added hatefully.

"Look at them!" the Fire Nation girl said disdainfully. "They're not people fit to live. So weak and _broken_. They're useless. Utterly useless."

Katara's mouth dropped open in revulsion and horror. Who was this girl, who commanded a legion of Fire Nation soldiers? Who was she, who seemed to be evil incarnate? In all her life, Katara had never met anyone so devoid of humanity.

"That doesn't mean they're useless!" Katara screamed at the wickedly smiling face, the flames creating a fiery backdrop. Katara felt as if she were in hell and trying to reason with a demon. "People care about them!"

The girl laughed. "I don't see _why. _They're disgusting. Look at them! Crippled and not _whole. _And this one, especially."

Katara's blood ran cold as she saw the girl gesture at Airi's bed. The child was, amazingly, still sleeping, completely unaware of the inferno that raged around her.

"A little girl with burned arms. Why is she still alive, anyway? She'll never be of use to anyone with those arms," the girl said scornfully. "This whole room is a tribute to keeping the weak alive. It's shameful, really, to partake in the creation and prolonging of weakness. I'm sure your tribe will thank me when I rid them of these troublesome leeches."

Katara wasn't listening to the… the _monster_ in front of her anymore. All time seemed to stop as the flames started licking at the beds, fiery tongues shooting out without mercy. People were frantically running, running, screaming, but Katara could see, with an aching _fear_, that many of the patients could not escape. They struggled, trying to launch themselves out of their beds and crawl away, but the fire kept coming closer, and they were trapped. Hopelessly cornered.

Everyone seemed to be moving in slow motion. Katara watched as a little boy tugged at his mother's hand, his mouth open in a silent cry because he didn't understand that his mother couldn't run, even if she tried. His mother was screaming at him to get away, run away, save yourself, but the child refused to listen. Katara felt a vise grip her heart, crushing it. Tears streamed down the little boy's face as he continued to plead with his mother to please get up, come with me, Mommy.

The monster mistook the terror in her eyes.

"Oh, don't worry, darling Katara. You won't die in these flames. I have other plans for you," it crowed delightedly.

Katara stared. How could it possibly think that, _now_, of all times, Katara would be concerned for her own safety? Katara couldn't care less what happened to her at this point. She only wanted to save… save everyone, save the world.

Everything was on fire now. Burning, burning, burning.

* * *

The Avatar's antics had certainly broken the ice. The three of them had returned to silence, but Zuko had to admit that it was more a comfortable one than one taut with tension.

It was interesting how Zuko was beginning to feel a lot less isolated. Maybe traveling with these people wouldn't be so bad, after all. Growing up as a prince hadn't given him much time to spend with people his own age. And even when he'd met with other young people, their interactions had been stiff and formal, all of them acutely aware of his royal status. This was different. They acted as if they were his equals. It was new …and, actually, not entirely unwelcome.

_Don't forget your mission. Don't forget what you're here to do. _

He wasn't forgetting anything. So he'd smiled a bit. It was all part of the plan.

_Play with them, sure. Laugh with them, fine. But only so you can get them to think that you really want to be their friend. Only so you can get them to trust you._

He wouldn't forget.

* * *

The flames had now reached Airi's bed. Screams that were born in her throat and alive on her tongue died on her lips. Katara knew that the child couldn't so much as crawl out of the sickroom, and she didn't want the little girl to wake. But, oh, how she longed to scream with all her might, tell Airi to _run._

_Wake up! You're in danger! Please, run away! Escape! Don't die don't die don't die, please pleasepleaseplease…_

But better the little girl die asleep than awake and terrified. Katara hoped desperately that the child was having pleasant dreams, the most wonderful imaginings of laughter and _love_.

Fire had completely consumed the bed now.

_Why do you look so sad, Katara? Don't be sad! _I_ won't ever leave you._

But she had.

Katara wasn't angry anymore. Anger was something felt by the strong, people who could afford the energy to _feel_. Katara had lost that ability.

* * *

The ocean wasn't all that boring, Zuko had found. It was easy to get lost in the mesmerizing way the waves lapped against each other. There were so many, and they kept crashing into each other in an endless dance, shifting and melding so that he couldn't count them even if he tried.

It was entrancing.

So deep.

Unfathomable.

Wild and untamed and free.

* * *

The fire circled the bed, flaming curtains that hid the small girl from Katara's view. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe anymore. The smoke was making her dizzy, her vision was getting hazy, and she didn't _want_ to be alive and conscious anymore. Not if it meant feeling this. Not if it meant enduring this pain of watching hungry fire devour sweet innocence. Katara opened her mouth and inhaled deeply, inviting the smoke to enter her lungs, sweet ambrosia that would shut down her mind and take her away…

* * *

"How are you feeling?" a kind voice asked. Katara's eyes fluttered open. She was in someplace dark. Dark and cold. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her body felt stiff from lying on the metal. _Metal? _

A small flame flickered to life in the palm of an old, plump man who looked somewhat familiar. Instinctively, Katara shrank into a corner of her cell, terrified of the fire (_No! Don't come near me! Don't touch me!_). She curled up, trying to protect herself (_Why? Is something trying to hurt me?_).

"Ah. I'm sorry," the man said, before extinguishing the fire and plunging them into darkness again (_Darkness is good. As long as there's no fire. No fire!_).

Katara couldn't focus on anything. The floor beneath her seemed to heave with every breath that she took (_Maybe it's made of water._). She felt numb all over, detached from the world.

"I'm so sorry," the man whispered again.

Katara didn't answer. She felt like she should cry (_Is crying something that people do when someone dies? Oh. Did someone die?)_, but the tears wouldn't come. She was simply in a state of shock (_Shock? From what?_).

* * *

Time seemed to pass so slowly up here. Being surrounded by the ocean created the illusion that they weren't even moving at all. Just staying perfectly still, always pushing forward but never getting anywhere.

* * *

**A/N: **Darker? Yes. But this _is _a war.

I was very, very apprehensive about writing this chapter. I hope it wasn't too bad, and that you'll keep reading. It does get better... eventually. There are just some things that both Zuko and Katara have to deal with. And I do want to write this story for a more mature audience. Can I bribe you with promises of ZK interaction in the next chapter?

I have to thank **Tiffany** for all her wonderful help. XD

I'm a fan of personal interpretations, but feel free to read my LJ if you want my own thoughts/explanation (link in profile).

And, as always, I would love feedback. Especially for this chapter. Review, yes?


	8. Chapter 8: This Safe Place

**Chapter 8: This Safe Place**

The three of them sat around a crackling campfire. Zuko's stomach growled loudly.

"What do you guys do for food?" he asked warily.

"Well," said Aang, poking suspiciously at a pot whose contents Zuko couldn't see. "This might not be exactly the kind of food you're used to…"

"I'm used to a lot," Zuko said dismissively. "It's not like I was some kind of pampered prince on my ship, you know. I had to eat pretty much the same food as my crew." _Plus, I'm so hungry I don't think I would care what I eat, anyway._

"Oh, but this is probably _really _different," Sokka said, glancing down into Aang's pot.

"Just hand some over!" Zuko snapped, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice.

"If you say so," Aang complied, passing the pot over to Zuko. Zuko snatched the burned and blackened pot eagerly. He looked down into it and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"What _is _this?" Zuko asked in distaste. All he could see was a shapeless black lump. Cautiously, Zuko poked at the lump with one finger. "Ah!" he cried in surprise as he snatched back his hand in fear and threw the pot across the clearing. "I think that thing tried to bite me!"

"Yeah, well," Aang said, shrugging, "sometimes that happens."

"Is this how the three of you have been living?" Zuko asked incredulously. First, there'd been the total lack of any shelter. Sokka had simply spread his sleeping bag out on the _dirt floor_, and Aang didn't even have anything to sleep in at all. Then there had been the total disregard for proper hygiene. Zuko wasn't a sanitation freak; of course he'd had to become accustomed to living on a ship, but at least he'd tried to keep up some semblance of cleanliness. The other two… they seemed to not care about the dirt at all.

What probably bothered him most, though, was the total lack of anything to do. The other boys seemed quite adept at keeping themselves occupied, but Zuko was used to the tasks of running a ship filling up his day. He was _bored_. And now, this? The monster they tried to pass off as edible?

"Oh, no," Aang said, smiling mischievously. "You haven't seen all of it yet. When Katara was with us, she made us follow all these crazy Water Tribe traditions."

"What are you talking abou—Aah!" Sokka cried as Aang blew a gust of wind at him that made him topple off his log.

"These crazy Water Tribe traditions," Aang repeated firmly. "Like, we had to do a dance every time we ate to thank the gods for our food."

"Really," Zuko asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow. Aang's story did seem pretty ridiculous, but then again, how much did he know of barbaric Water Tribe customs? As a prince, he had had endless lessons on the history of all four nations in order to, of course, better conquer the lesser three, but no one had bothered documenting or teaching about the pathetic existence of the Southern Water Tribe. Who knew what sorts of crazy stuff those people did?

"Oh, yes," Aang nodded solemnly in affirmation. Suddenly, he leaped off his log and started madly hopping and twisting around the campfire.

"Come on!" he cried, inviting Sokka and Zuko to join him. "Remember, it takes three people to do!"

Both boys sat firmly on their logs, arms crossed and identical expressions of disbelief on their faces. Zuko was beginning to think that the Avatar had been lying to him. Who knew the boy had it in him?

Aang picked up the pot that Zuko had thrown and started banging on it. He had danced a few more steps when the shapeless black lump fell out of the pot and landed on the tiny fire, which suddenly roared to life with thick flames.

The boys stared at the healthy fire, dumbfounded.

"Well," Aang joked, "I guess now we know what to use instead of firewood." He dropped onto the ground and lay down on his back, breathless. A few minutes passed, his breathing gradually slowing down. "I wonder what Katara's doing right now," Aang finally said, a little wistful note in his voice.

"Probably sleeping," Sokka said glumly.

"I hope she's okay," Aang said. All traces of laughter were gone from his face now. Sokka went over to Aang and sat down next to him. Aang sat up, hugging his knees.

"I'm sure she's fine," Sokka said comfortingly, patting Aang on the back. "Don't worry about Katara. She can take care of herself."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Aang said, staring out into the night.

Zuko didn't say anything. He didn't know Katara the way these two did, and he had no desire to take part in their little comforting circle.

* * *

When Katara woke up again, the first thing she noticed was that she was on some sort of scratchy mat. It wasn't all too soft, but then again, it was a whole lot better than sleeping on cold metal. Someone had also given her a blanket, but she couldn't tell what color it was in the darkness. Her hands had been untied, though Katara could still feel the rawness of her skin where the rope had rubbed harshly. 

Katara turned onto her side and curled up, bringing her knees up against her chest. Memories were slowly dripping into her mind, cold water like stabs of ice that chilled her from the inside out.

_Airi's gone. _

No, not _gone_. She shouldn't try to sugar-coat the truth. Gone could mean anything. Gone could mean that Airi had simply left to visit someone, and that she would be coming back any day now. Gone was vague, a coward's word. It meant nothing. Airi was _dead_.

But Katara couldn't accept that alternative, either.

A sudden coughing fit engulfed her. Her throat was dry, and it hurt to swallow. Katara wished she had just a bit of water to soothe the roughness of her throat.

Approaching footsteps interrupted her thoughts, and Katara curled up even tighter, trying to shrink into the corner of her cell. Whatever it was, whoever it was, she didn't feel up to dealing with it right now.

"Are you hungry?" A formless, dark figure stopped outside of her cell. Katara recognized his voice as the man's who'd spoken to her earlier. His voice was low and kind, but Katara refused to let his tone lull her into a sense of false security. It didn't matter what he sounded like—he was entirely likely to have evil intentions, especially given the fact that he was probably somehow involved in her capture.

"You've been asleep for awhile," the man continued when Katara didn't answer. "Maybe you'd like something to eat?"

"What do you have?" Katara finally responded listlessly. It seemed a stupid thing to say. She wasn't even hungry. …But maybe he had some water.

"This is one of my favorites," the man said cheerfully. Katara heard him pass a plate through the bars of the cell and place it on the ground, a dull _thunk_. A cup full of sloshing liquid followed. Katara made no move to reach for the food, though her throat was aching and crying for relief. Who knew what the Fire Nation had done to the food? Maybe they'd poisoned it so that she would die within the hour. Katara refused to acknowledge that, if they'd wanted her dead, she would already be on her way to the spirit world. Katara expected the man to leave then, but instead she heard him settle on the floor outside her cell.

"I'm sorry you have to live like this," the man began, his tone weary. "And about what happened to the Water Tribe. You must have the most awful impression of the Fire Nation," he said sadly. "I'm Iroh, by the way. We've met before, but I don't think I ever properly introduced myself to you? I'm Prince Zuko's uncle."

In some distant part of herself, Katara wasn't all that surprised. She'd guessed that the old man she always saw with Zuko was somehow related to him. What surprised her was the fact that… Iroh… was sitting on the other side of the bars instead of behind some himself. If she remembered correctly, he had spoken out against the high-ranking Fire Navy official, threatened him for trying to destroy the moon. Iroh had seemed to be more on _their_ side than the Fire Nation's. And now he was her captor. Well, it just went to show how fickle and unreliable Fire Nation people were. None of them could be trusted.

With a sudden stab of fear, Katara remembered that _Zuko_ was from the Fire Nation. If Iroh had been his good companion, and Iroh was working for the Fire Nation….then Zuko couldn't be trusted, either. And she'd made the stupid, ridiculous decision to stay at the North Pole instead of going with Aang and Sokka. What if they were both in danger now because she wasn't there to protect them from Zuko? Katara berated herself. How could she have been so utterly _selfish_? She had to warn them. She had to warn them about Zuko.

"Forgive me, but have you—" Iroh's voice broke. When he tried again, Katara could hear his breath hitch, bleeding barely-contained hope and a desperate _longing_. "Have you seen—seen my nephew?"

* * *

Zuko woke up abruptly. His back ached, and he was stiff from sleeping on the hard ground. After Aang and Sokka had had their little pity fest, they'd all eaten some of the dry food they'd taken from the Water Tribe. It wasn't all too tasty, but Zuko had been too hungry to refuse it. That hadn't stopped him from complaining, though. 

Then they'd gone to sleep. Well, he and the Avatar had gone to sleep. The Water Tribe boy had still insisted on staying up to "guard" Zuko, though Zuko felt that his enthusiasm was wavering a little, especially since they were living outside in the cold night instead of inside the warm room they'd stayed in at the North Pole. At any rate, it looked like Sokka had crawled back into his warm sleeping bag instead of falling asleep sitting up like he usually did. Aang was curled up on the bison's shaggy tail.

An urgent need called for his attention, and Zuko wiggled out of his sleeping bag and made his way into the nearby forest to take care of it. The sky was still mostly dark, but gray pre-dawn light was sufficient for him to pick his way through the twisted, gnarled tree roots and duck the low-hanging branches.

He was about to head back when he heard shouts along the beach. Curious, Zuko walked to the edge of the forest and peered between the trees and bushes. What he saw made his heart suddenly pound faster.

A Fire Navy ship was anchored in the small bay that the island created. Rowboats dangled over its side, and several boats had already made their way to shore. Men in Fire Navy uniforms were climbing out.

Zuko's first reaction was excitement, a heady rush of blood to his head. _Finally,_ something was going his way. Zuko had expected to have to wait until he got to the Earth Kingdom to find Fire Nation soldiers who could help him capture Aang, but here was a whole shipful of them, and Aang was helpless and ignorant, trapped on this island. All he had to do was walk forward a few steps, and then he could lead the soldiers straight to Aang—no, the _Avatar_—and the unsuspecting Avatar would be captured and at his mercy. His mission would be complete. He could return home with his honor restored. He could claim his birthright to the throne. His father would, finally, be proud of him.

The tantalizing thought urged him forward, and Zuko was already in mid-step, his mouth open to yell for the Fire Nation soldiers' attention, when something stopped him. A short figure stood on the beach, barking orders at the men. Zula.

These were Fire Nation soldiers, yes, but who were they truly loyal to? Him, the disgraced, exiled prince, or Zula, the firebending prodigy and the Fire Lord's favorite? If he tried to command them, would they listen to him or Zula? Because if he led them to the Avatar, Zula would probably take all the credit for capturing the Avatar. She would be even more revered, and their father would honor _her_, not him. Probably even more so, since she would accomplish in weeks what he hadn't done in over two years.

Zuko hissed in frustration. There was absolutely no reason to give Zula even more admiration and honor than what she already had. Pretending to join the Avatar had been _his _plan, and it was a good one. The Avatar completely trusted him now. The Avatar was _his_, and Zuko wasn't about to let Zula take all the credit for capturing him. No, he would wait until the three of them had traveled to the Earth Kingdom, where he could find Fire Nation soldiers who hopefully didn't know that Zula had taken command over much of the Fire Navy. Then he would put the last stage of his plan into action. Then he would capture the Avatar, and everything that he was working for would be achieved.

Zuko was fully intent on running back to camp to warn the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy so that they could all fly away on the bison before they were found, but something caught his eye just as he was turning away.

Huddled next to Zula was a small, slender blue-robed figure with dark hair in a braid that was all too familiar.

Katara.

How the hell had his sister captured _Katara_? And how stupid had Katara been to get kidnapped the second she was left on her own? Zuko swore. The girl obviously couldn't be trusted to take care of herself. There must have been an attack on the Water Tribe after they'd left, but Zuko couldn't figure out what the hell Zula was doing with the Water Tribe girl. Unless...

The plan didn't have to change, Zuko told himself. He could still run back to the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy right now, and the three of them could still escape and fly away on the bison. They didn't have to know that he'd seen Katara with the Fire Nation soldiers. They would believe him if he just told them that he had sighted a Fire Navy ship, and that they needed to leave right away. They didn't need to know that their sister and friend had been kidnapped.

But even as he had the thoughts, Zuko knew that he couldn't just leave Katara at the mercy of his sister. It wasn't about caring about Katara personally, exactly. It was more about what was honorable. An honorable prince wouldn't abandon a girl to the whims of a whole ship full of Fire Navy men and Zula. Zuko cursed again. He had to at least try to rescue her, even if he didn't want to. It was the proper thing to do, really.

* * *

"We all saw the bison land on this island. They're definitely somewhere here. Spread out!" the Fire Nation girl commanded. "Comb this island until you find them! Capture them and bring them to me." 

The Fire Navy men hastened to obey her orders. A few seemed reluctant to take orders from a teenage girl, but one look at the girl's harsh expression told them not to underestimate her. Katara heard one man mutter as he walked past,

"And I thought her brother was bad." He shook his head as he ran after his fellow men, who were heading down the shoreline.

_Brother? _

There was even more of her? Katara wondered. She hoped she would never have the misfortune of ever meeting this mystery brother.

The girl dragged her along the beach. Katara stumbled along, her hands, once again, tied behind her back.

After Iroh had left, Katara had sat in the dark for hours, trying to fight the urge to grab the cup and gulp down the soothing drink. Finally, when she couldn't take it anymore, Katara grabbed the cup and flung it across her cell. It hit the wall and bounced off, the liquid splashing onto the ground. Then she'd huddled on her mat again, finally falling asleep, only to be awoken by rough hands grabbing at her.

She'd tried to fight back, afraid that they had foul intentions, but they'd only forced her on her feet and tied her hands behind her again. She'd tried asking questions, but they answered only in grunts of "Hurry up" and "Stop whining." In the end, it had just been too much. She'd let herself be marched to the girl, who'd taken her off the ship and onto the island.

Katara stumbled again, and the girl yanked at the rope that bound her arms.

"Keep up!" the girl snarled.

Katara managed to twist her head to look back at the ship. She could make out the silhouette of the old man on the deck of the ship. He seemed to be struggling with a few other Fire Navy men. Maybe ordinarily, Katara's interest would have been piqued, but right now she just felt that _not _thinking was the easiest route. If she could keep her mind perfectly blank, she could numb herself against any emotions. Besides, it was probably nothing.

Somewhere in the far reaches of her mind, Katara knew that she should be plotting something, some way to escape. Had the girl said that Aang and Sokka were on this island? Was Zuko with them? If she ran, could she find them before the girl caught up to her again?

She was so hungry, so exhausted from trying to keep a;; thoughts at bay. It was all so much to think about. It was all so much easier to just follow. Follow the girl. Follow the harsh, snarling voice.

* * *

Zuko had made up his mind to first find the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy and then decide on a plan of action with them, but a voice stopped him. 

"Where are we going, hmm?" the all-too-familiar voice purred. Zuko whipped around. Zula strode towards him, dragging a dazed-looking Katara behind her. "Going to run crying back to the Avatar?"

Too late now.

"Let her go, Zula," Zuko said roughly. He moved to grab Katara away from Zula, but a large burst of flame made him step back.

"No, no, no," Zula said, shaking her head. "You can't have her. At least, not until you lead me to where the Avatar is. And maybe not even then. Why should I share with you? You never let me play with _your_ toys." She pretended to pout. Zuko growled in frustration.

"This isn't about a _doll_," Zuko said impatiently. "You have no use for her. Give her to me, now." But even as he made the demand, he knew that there was no way Zula was going to listen to him. She hadn't ever, even when they were just little children.

What seemed strange to Zuko was how lifeless Katara looked. Why wasn't she yelling at Zula, too? Why wasn't she fighting back? Trying to escape? Truthfully, Zuko had never seen Katara look the way she did now. She seemed like a mere shell of her usual self. Something must have happened. Zuko wondered exactly what his sister had done to Katara.

"Oh, but I _do _have some use for her, considering how… _eager _you seem to be to get her back. Now, what would a firebending, exiled prince want with a mere Water Tribe peasant?" Zula asked thoughtfully, tapping a finger to her chin.

"She means nothing to me," Zuko said indifferently.

"Really," Zula purred. She yanked Katara up against her and grabbed a handful of brown hair. Katara cried out in pain. Slowly, Zula raised her other hand over the hair; Katara fought the urge to scream from fear of the impending fire—

"No!" Zuko roared before he could stop himself. He'd taken a step forward before the look on Zula's face stopped him.

"Come any closer, and maybe my hand will just… _slip _over this lovely brown hair," Zula said silkily.

Zuko faltered. He couldn't attack Zula with Katara right in front of her. Given the way Katara seemed to be barely listening to the exchange, he wasn't even sure if she would try to get out of the way if he rushed Zula. He hesitated, eyes darting from left to right as he tried to come up with a plan.

His decision was made for him when, in the next instant, Zula let out a cry of pain as Katara tore herself out of her grip and ran for a nearby stream. Zula shrieked and lunged for the end of Katara's braid, but Zuko tackled his sister to the ground. He twisted his head around to see Katara's bound hands right in front of him. He exhaled, hard, and fire caught on the rope. Katara seemed stunned as she took a few more fumbling steps into the stream, where she plunged her hands into the water. The blackened and weakened rope broke and fell away when she wrenched her arms apart.

"Katara!" Zuko yelled. He saw her turn around, Zula's fire racing for her head, but she was too far away—he wasn't fast enough, he couldn't get to her in time—

Katara snapped out of her dazed, trancelike state at the sound of Zuko's voice. He'd never called her by name before. It sounded so lovely the way he said it, like water dripping between fingers as the hand closes in a vain attempt to capture the slipping, sliding liquid.

She threw up a water shield just in time to counter the fire, but Zula had already turned her attention back to Zuko. And he was still staring at her, his face frozen in fear, completely ignorant of the fire hurtling towards his head.

In that split second, time slowed and each heartbeat lasted minutes as Katara's thoughts swirled agonizingly over who she should try to help. Her mind struggled to put together coherent thoughts, to reason, though her head hurt from when Zula had pulled at her hair, and her arms ached from being tied together.

_Zuko is the enemy! He's a Firebender, just like the rest of them! He's made of fire, and fire kills. Fire _killed

But Zula was a Firebender, too. And she was the one who had ruthlessly killed all those people. Zuko… didn't seem to be in league with her. They fought as if they were enemies. If Zuko was Zula's enemy, then did that mean that he was on her side? Who was Zuko loyal to, really?

In the end, it was all down to who was the lesser of the two evils.

So Katara bended water, as fast as she could, towards Zuko, and she gave him his own water dress.

The fire collided with the water that had suddenly surrounded him, and Zuko was unharmed when he turned back to face Zula.

Zuko began his own attacks against his sister, who hissed in frustration when all of her fire attacks were rendered useless by the armor of water that coated Zuko. She tried to destroy the source of the invincibility, but Katara was a Waterbender standing in water up to her waist, and Zula would not win if she tried to initiate physical combat against both Katara and Zuko.

Struggling to concentrate, Katara bended the water to Zuko's lithe form as he twisted through series of complicated maneuvers and stances. A bead of sweat made it way slowly down her temple as she fought to stay focused. A few minutes passed as Zuko and Zula dueled, and Katara's strength was waning. She hadn't eaten anything in who knew how long, and it was getting harder and harder to see Zuko as her vision started blurring…

Zuko could see that Katara's energy, which was probably running solely on adrenaline, was draining. He felt it, too, in the water that suddenly soaked his clothes in some places and the way a bare wrist here, an ankle there, were left exposed and unprotected. He tried to slow his movements down, to make it easier for her to follow him, but she was fading fast. And the slower he moved, the easier it was for Zula to hit him.

Zula seemed to know it, too. She rushed at him, baring her teeth in a mocking grin as she sent a blue-white blast at him. Zuko could feel the heat even though it was still some distance away, but it didn't matter since it was closing in on him, fast, and it was so hot that Zuko wondered if maybe it was cold instead—

A sudden, powerful wind knocked him off his feet and sent him flying. He collided into a tree and crashed down in a tangle of dirt-smeared tree roots, arms, and legs. Zuko shook his head, dazed. Something was blocking the sun.

"Get on!" a voice yelled, and someone roughly grabbed his arm and hauled him up. Zuko scrambled up the side of the bison's back and threw himself into the saddle, landing on top of a wet Katara.

"Higher, Appa!" the Avatar cried. The bison complied, rising out of the canopy of the trees into the sky.

They raced towards the Earth Kingdom shores, knowing that it couldn't take too long before Zula rounded up the men and started chasing them again on her ship.

* * *

They tried asking her questions. Of course they wanted to know what had happened, how she'd ended up with a Fire Nation girl on a Fire Navy ship. 

But she refused to answer them. No, it wasn't that she refused, exactly. It was more like she couldn't. Didn't have the capability of retelling whatever horror it was that she'd gone through.

She lay curled up in a corner of the saddle, not bothering to bend the water out of her wet clothes. After several minutes of watching her shivering, eyes glassy, Zuko had a mad desire to somehow use his firebending to warm her up, but the Avatar quietly, softly, sat down next to her before he could, channeling gentle, warm air currents around her until she was dry again.

The only question she would answer was the one they hadn't wanted to ask.

"Do you want us to take you back?" they questioned gently, holding their breaths.

And no one bothered to hide the relief that coursed through them when she shook her head with a whispered "No."

They flew on.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9: Precious and Fragile Things

**Chapter 9: Precious and Fragile Things**

Dusk had fallen, fingers of sunlight clawing at the earth, when they finally stopped to rest, Appa breathing heavily from exertion. Wordlessly, they set up camp under the darkening sky.

Zuko raised an arm to light the dead logs he'd gathered together to make a campfire, but a sudden, cold touch against his skin startled him. He turned to see Katara, her eyes unreadable. She had seemed a little more energetic after her brother had gotten her to eat some food, but there was still something that was distinctly… off about her that he couldn't place. She had changed, in some imperceptible way.

"Don't," she said, shaking her head, her long braid swinging from side to side behind her.

"Don't what?" Zuko asked, surprised.

"Don't start a fire," she said simply.

"Are you crazy?" Zuko asked. "How are we supposed to see anything? Cook food? Keep away animals?" Something about the hollowness in Katara's eyes made him nervous.

"The Fire Navy's too close behind us," Katara said calmly. "The smoke from a fire would be too easily seen, especially since we're still out on the beach." She turned away and walked towards her sleeping bag.

Dumbfounded, Zuko stared at her retreating back. She acted as if he'd readily agreed to her ridiculous request.

"Hey!" Zuko said, striding towards Katara, but Aang stepped in front of him.

"Come on, Zuko," he said. "It's okay. We can do without fire for one night. And she's right; it would be easy to spot from a distance."

Zuko gave a low growl, but he acquiesced. There was a bit of logic in Katara's words, and he himself wasn't all too eager for Zula to find them again.

* * *

A thin sliver of moon held court in the sky, surrounded by her twinkling attendants. Zuko, lying on his back, trained his eyes on it, the only source of light the four of them had that night. 

The no-fire rule Katara had implemented was driving him crazy. Something was seriously wrong with her. Zuko knew Katara could be pretty naïve sometimes (she certainly hadn't wasted any time getting herself kidnapped), but he hadn't taken her for an unreasonable _fool. _Because that was what her stupid rule was—utterly irrational. What was the point of having no fire? It kept them warm. They _needed_ fire.

Zuko shivered. _He _needed fire.

Maybe meditating would help him get to sleep.

Zuko headed into the forest. When he judged that he was far away enough from the campsite, he gathered together a small pile of twigs and dry grass. It took several tries for the pile to catch on fire, and Zuko had to lean in close, giving the fire his own breath. Finally, the fire caught, and Zuko fed it some bigger branches. Sighing, Zuko settled down next to the fire, cross-legged. This felt much better.

He tried to clear his mind of all distractions, tried to focus solely on the fire in front of him, but nagging doubts and worries wouldn't leave him alone.

He had made the decision to escape with the Avatar, but he was beginning to wonder if maybe it had been the wrong one. Because now Zula had seen him. Now she knew for sure, or rather, she thought she knew for sure, that he had joined forces with the Avatar. And it wasn't just Zula who knew—the whole Fire Navy ship had probably been informed of his betrayal by now.

It seemed like he was only digging himself a deeper and deeper hole.

Zuko growled. It wasn't his fault that his options had been so limited. He hadn't had the chance to explain to them all what was really going on, that he was probably acting even more in the Fire Nation's best interest than they were. But no.

He'd probably made the right decision. Maybe if it had been anyone but Zula... maybe he could have commanded the men to capture the Avatar. But they answered to Zula, and Zuko wondered how much she had managed to turn the men against him.

They were probably so prejudiced against him that they wouldn't bother to look beneath the shallow, surface appearance. They would just assume what Zula had assumed—that he'd turned his back on his father and the Fire Nation. The idiots. How could they be so stupid as to blindly follow the words of _one person_? Couldn't they think for themselves, decide for _themselves _what was truly right for the Fire Nation? You can't always pass judgment based on what you see, Zuko wanted to tell them. Appearances aren't always faithful to truth.

* * *

_She ran, pushing through the people who kept getting in her way. She had to get to her, had to save her. The heat was so intense, and the smoke... the smoke made her eyes sting and tear, made her fight for every breath... If only she could just rest, rest for just one second--No, she couldn't stop, she had to run faster, faster, had to had to had to _

Katara woke up gasping and coughing, the imagined smoke seeming to have crawled into reality and down her throat. She drew in ragged breaths, grasping and massaging her neck. Katara looked frantically around the campsite. There was no fire. There was no smoke. She sighed in relief and willed her tense body to relax. She'd just been having a nightmare, that was all.

Katara reached for her water canteen, but she was disappointed to find it empty, light as air in her hands. Katara frowned. She desperately wanted some water; her throat was so dry. She could try and get some more. Glancing down the beach, Katara saw that she wasn't far from the ocean. But seawater meant salty water, and Katara didn't want to start the fire that would be needed to boil it so that it would be fit to drink.

She could always try to find a nearby stream in the forest. But it was so dark...

Well, it wasn't totally dark, Katara corrected herself. She looked up at the thin crescent moon. It would guide her. Light her way. She would be okay. And she really, really wanted some water.

The light became somewhat muted when she stepped into the forest because it had to filter through the trees, but Katara could hear the faint gurgling of running water. She didn't have to travel very far. It was just up on ahead, and then she could fill her canteen and take a drink. Katara pushed forward, wary of low-hanging branches that jumped into existence as she neared them. She ducked and then stepped over a rotting log. She was getting close; the murmurs of the water were louder now.

And then Katara realized that the light had changed. It wasn't the calm, silvery sheen the moon gave anymore. It was golden and volatile, creating shadows that flickered and danced. _Firelight._

Somehow, something must have caught on fire. Katara quickened her step, fear coiling in her stomach. If there were a fire, she had to stop it, stop it from spreading and burning the forest down.

* * *

Zuko heard a twig snap behind him. Instantly, he was on his feet, arms raised and at the ready for whatever wild animal was coming towards him. 

He was surprised when _Katara_ burst out of the darkness.

"Katara?" Zuko asked in confusion.

Katara stared in shock at Zuko, who was standing next to the fire. Zuko? Zuko was the one who had started the fire? But she had more pressing matters on her mind right now. Katara looked around frantically, her eyes darting wildly around the clearing.

There! The stream she'd heard earlier was only a few feet away. Katara took a couple of steps forward and raised her arms. She was just about to toss enough water on the fire to, hopefully, douse it when a strong hand clamped down on her wrist.

"Just _what _do you think you're doing?" Zuko hissed, his breath rushing over her cheek.

Katara tried to wrench her arm out of his grasp, but his grip was too tight. She twisted around to face him. His golden eyes were narrowed.

"Putting out the fire that _you_ started," Katara answered. "I thought we agreed, no fire!"

"You're crazy," Zuko retorted. "What do you think's going to happen?"

"Let go of me!" Katara said, tugging at her arm. Zuko thought for a second, then released it. Katara stepped back, away from him. Her eyes met his, and she spoke again. "I don't have to think, Zuko--I _know._"

"Know what?"

"I know what fire can do," Katara answered slowly.

"What are you talking about?" Zuko asked.

Katara shook her head, refusing to answer. "I don't want to talk about it," she said, turning away to bend water out of the stream again. Zuko's interest was piqued. Was this somehow related to whatever it was that had brought Katara onto Zula's ship? He grabbed her arm again, forcing her to turn around.

"What happened?" he pressed.

"I said, I don't want to talk about it!" Katara repeated, her voice rising.

Zuko studied her. She was angry, yes, but this was definitely an improvement over the lifeless girl who'd lain in the saddle, unable to say anything but whispered "No"'s. Here was an opportunity.

He took a chance and laughed. "Oh, I see," he said. "It doesn't have anything to do with not wanting to be discovered. You're just afraid. You're _afraid _of a tiny, little fire." That was the key here. He had to anger her even more, get her riled up so that she would talk. Zuko waited for Katara's reaction.

"This has nothing to do with being afraid!" Katara cried. "You don't even know what you're talking about! You have _no idea._"

"So tell me," Zuko challenged. "Why are you so terrified of fire?"

Katara let out a strangled cry, anger twisting up inside her. What the hell did Zuko know, anyway? Who was he to judge her? "Because!" Katara finally burst out. "Because when you guys left, the Fire Navy came."

It was a start, but Zuko had already guessed that part. The thing that confused him was that he knew that Katara had witnessed the first attack. She hadn't been this badly shaken up. There had to be more.

"And? What else happened, Katara?"

But she was shaking her head again, her lips pressed tightly together.

Zuko took a step towards her. "What? They captured a few people? Broke down a couple of the outer walls?"

Katara let out a dry, humorless laugh. Did he really think that the Fire Nation was that merciful? How innocent of him. How naïve and utterly, utterly _stupid _of him. "They killed, Zuko," she said harshly. "They piled up wood in the sickroom and set it on fire."

Sickroom? With the wounded patients? The Fire Nation wouldn't do that. There was no honor in killing the innocent and injured, people who didn't pose a threat. She was making it up.

"Don't be ridiculous," Zuko said with a short laugh. "The Fire Nation wouldn't hurt the innocent if they didn't have to. They have more honor than that."

The anger was growing again. How could he possibly be so _blind_? There was nothing honorable about the way the Fire Nation was fighting the war. He was deluding himself, and it made her _mad_. Katara grasped at the anger, welcomed it, wanted it to build up, bigger and bigger, inside her and take over her being. Anger was good. Anger kept the pain away.

"They set it on fire," Katara repeated. "And the fire spread—"

"Shut up!" Zuko said fiercely. "Shut up!"

"The fire spread," Katara continued. "The fire spread, and the people were running around and screaming, but some of them couldn't run, Zuko!"

"Stop!" Zuko shouted. She was delirious. Her talk was nothing but the raving of a mad lunatic.

"Honor? Where's your Fire Nation's honor now?" Katara shrieked. Anger was good. It burned within her, a raging fire that gave her energy and life. She could handle the anger. "Nothing about that was honorable! The people... they were helpless... they were trapped! _Airi _was trapped!"

Zuko fought the urge to clap his hands over his ears. It was a childish gesture, one that wasn't effective at all, but oh, he wanted her to stop talking now.

"She—she _died_!" The word Katara had been avoiding tore itself out of her throat. And now that it was out, she couldn't stop thinking it, over and over. "Died, Zuko! The fire killed her! She's dead, dead, dead—"

Each repetition of the word was like a knife stab. "I don't believe you!" Zuko snapped, amber eyes flashing with fury. He grabbed her arm in a vicious grip, wanting to shake some sense into her, make her confess that what she was saying was false, that she'd been lying to him, that the little girl was still alive because she hadn't been trying to hurt anyone.

Katara cried out in pain, and the sound startled him as he remembered Zula cruelly yanking Katara's hair. Zuko quickly let go of Katara, as if he'd been burned.

But the fear didn't leave her eyes, and now he could see panic creeping in as she stared at something beyond his shoulder. Zuko whirled around.

He'd been so absorbed in their conversation that he hadn't noticed when the fire he'd built had started to spread. Several trees were already on fire, blackened and half-crumbling into ash, and flames licked at other trees as the fire caught on dangling branches and traveled across fallen leaves and sticks. Smoke was starting to cloud up the small clearing.

It would be useless work to try and stop it. It had already grown out of control. The only thing to do was to go back to the campsite, wake up the other two, and leave right away.

"Come on," Zuko said, trying to keep his voice calm. He turned to head back to the campsite, expecting Katara to follow him, but he stopped when he didn't hear her coming behind him. Zuko turned around. Katara didn't seem to have heard him. She was pivoting slowly, taking in the destruction that raged around her. Tree after tree was catching on fire as the flames spread, lighting first one branch and then another.

"Come on!" Zuko roared again, grabbing Katara's arm. He tried to pull her away from the fire, towards safety, but she resisted his tugging. "What's the matter with you? Do you _want _to die out here?" Zuko screamed in frustration, pulling harder. He managed to drag Katara along for a couple of fumbling steps, but she seemed to be ignoring him completely.

Zuko turned his head slowly to look at her, what her eyes were looking at. He followed her gaze to the tiny stream that gurgled and frothed a short distance away.

Instantly, Zuko knew what Katara wanted to do.

"_No_," Zuko said firmly, pulling on Katara. She stood rooted to the spot.

_I have to douse the fire put out the fire water water is good must get to water _

"Come _on_!" Zuko yelled again. Why the hell was she being so idiotic? Didn't she know that they had to get away? Not only was the fire dangerous, but the smoke would be a beacon to whatever ships were out on the ocean tonight. Frustrated, Zuko scooped an arm around her waist and heaved Katara off the ground. If she wasn't going to move on her own, then he would carry her himself. Zuko hefted her higher on his hip and started to run, but she was flailing in his arms, kicking and punching him.

"Let go of me!" Katara yelled. "I have to put the fire out!" She tore herself out of his grip and ran back towards the stream.

Zuko was sorely tempted to just let the idiot girl do whatever the hell she wanted. He certainly wasn't planning on getting burnt to a crisp in a forest fire, and he'd already tried once, anyway. That should definitely satisfy his conscience.

But Aang and Sokka would never agree to leave without her, and the bison, his only feasible chance of escape, wouldn't take him away to safety without the Avatar.

Cursing, Zuko ran after Katara, trying to hold his breath in the thickening smoke.

Katara concentrated on the water and started the push and pull motion she remembered trying to teach Aang so long ago. She hadn't been able to do it then; she'd actually gotten jealous when Aang had picked it up so quickly, but now…

The wall of water grew taller and taller. Katara pushed harder, willing the wave to stretch even higher, gathering up all the available water in the stream. The water towered over her now, but Katara still kept going, ignoring the smoke that stung at her eyes and choked her and the heat that was closing in on her. She just had to keep her mind on the water, and she would be okay.

Zuko, one hand over his mouth, tried to wave aside the thick smoke that obscured his vision. He finally spotted Katara, who was locked in some kind of repeated movement. He stopped short when he saw the gigantic wave that loomed over her.

With a little sigh of relief, Katara closed her eyes, held her breath, and _let go._ Sweet release in the form of icy water that crashed down around her, through her, pure ecstasy soaking her clothes and skin

He wasn't quick enough to avoid the water as it flooded the clearing. The chilly water came down on top of him. He breathed in at the wrong moment and started coughing, choking on the water he'd accidentally sucked into his lungs. Even as he fought for breath, Zuko couldn't help but think that choking on the cool water was preferable to choking on the smoke. The water level quickly decreased as the waterline dropped from his chest down to his knees and then ankles, finally flowing away.

Katara turned around slowly. Zuko stood frozen, his arms limp against his sides, his hands half-curled. He was staring at her. She met his gaze.

"See?" she choked out. She spread her arms out, encompassing the steam and smoke swirling together, the burnt trees and scattered ash. "All fire does is destroy!"

Zuko had no answer for her.

"_You _created this," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. Zuko wondered if it was an accusation. Was she blaming him?

"Yes," he admitted cautiously.

"You can't even control your own fire!" That was definitely an accusation. Katara stared hard at him, her blue eyes full of hatred. "You can be a powerful firebender, maybe even a master at firebending, but what good is it if you can only _start _fires, Zuko?" Whatever energy she'd had seemed to have dissipated along with the fire and water, draining out of her and leaving her weak and defenseless. Katara whispered softly, "You can start fires, Zuko, but can you put them out?"

She had started shaking now, her shoulders trembling as she backed up against the rough bark of the tree. Down she sank, down until she was sitting in the dirt, her knees drawn up against her chest. Her hair had come undone, and it hung, limp and lifeless around her face. Zuko could see her eyes wide, beautiful blue unseeing.

She was tired. Exhausted, probably, and unable to deal with anything more than just breathing to stay alive. Zuko stood still, hesitant and unsure.

Why had she been so _stupid_? There was definitely something wrong with her. What kind of moron would try to douse a raging forest fire all on her own?

And yet…

Zuko lifted his head and turned slowly, staring at the forest around him. Nearly two dozen trees had been burned down, smoke still lazily drifting from the piles of ash. Broken branches littered the clearing, and small flames still burned here and there.

But she had won. The fire wasn't a threat anymore. She, with her water, had stopped it.

_All fire does is destroy! _

Katara's harsh accusation came back to him, cacophony ringing in the silence.

_You can't even control your own fire! _

As hard as it was for him to admit, she was right, wasn't she? He had started the fire, but it had spread beyond his control. No. He'd needed _her _to restrain his fire, keep it from becoming too powerful, too destructive.

Guilt stole up on him, snatched him when he didn't expect it. It was fire that had reduced Katara to the broken girl who sat in front of him now. Zuko tried to regard her with indifference, but it was impossible.

Zuko unclenched his hands and turned them over, his eyes studying his hands. Calluses dotted his palms, and he could see a small burn on his finger. His hands looked so innocent. For all the blisters and small cuts and scratches, they were still soft to the touch.

It was all a lie. These were the hands that gave birth to fire. These were the hands that created nothing but raging terror and destruction.

Why hadn't she _run_?

…_Why didn't I?_

A sniffle interrupted his thoughts. Katara had started crying. She was shaking even more violently now, tears coming faster and faster down her cheeks.

Panic gripped him. Zuko had absolutely no idea how to deal with crying girls. His first instinct was to run back to the camp, to wake up Aang and Sokka and drag them here, but then he was afraid to move, afraid to leave her alone.

A cold wind blew through the clearing, chilling his bare skin. Zuko saw Katara shiver. She must have felt cold, with her wet clothes.

Zuko spoke, trying to keep his voice even.

"You must be cold. I'm going to light a small fire to keep us warm, okay?"

When Katara didn't reply, Zuko crouched down in front of her and gathered together a small pile of twigs and dry grass. He placed his hands over the pile, but Katara uttered a soft scream.

"No!" she cried. "Didn't you learn anything at all?"

Zuko froze. Neither of them spoke, time dripping by in total silence save Katara's slight sniffling.

She hadn't been lying. Everything she'd said to him was true. The Fire Nation attack, the people burning, the little girl's death. All of it. That was the only explanation for the difference he saw in Katara now. The hollowness he saw in her eyes, her fear of fire, the way she wasn't quite as carefree anymore.

If all of what she'd said was true, then what did that mean for him? Zuko had studied warfare, of course, and he'd prepared to eventually join in the war himself. But when he had almost become of age to go off and fight, he'd been banished. Exiled. Traveling on his own ship, Zuko realized now, was probably a lot less bloody than what his life would have been like if he'd been battling.

He wasn't entirely inexperienced. Sailing on the ocean had inevitably caused run-ins with bands of pirates, but killing had always been minimal, his men only doing it when it was absolutely necessary. Zuko had never seen the Fire Nation sack a city, murdering in cold blood.

What kind of war was this, then? Could it be that…

But Zuko refused to finish the thought.

The wind blew again, and he could see Katara shiver even harder. He didn't know what he should do.

And then he remembered what Katara had done for the little girl when she'd been crying after waking from a nightmare.

Slowly, carefully, Zuko crouched down in the dirt next to Katara, holding his breath. Her chin rested on top of her knees, her eyes looking straight ahead and away from him; he could see droplets of water still clinging to her eyelashes. More drops of water covered her cheeks, and Zuko wondered, if he touched each one, if he could discern whether they were warm or cold, whether they were tears or just water.

"I believe you," he whispered softly.

When she didn't move away, Zuko, heart pounding, lifted an arm and cautiously, oh so carefully, brought it around Katara's shoulders. He let out a sigh of relief just as his skin was about to meet hers—

She slapped him. Hard. Across the face.

"Don't _touch _me," she hissed. "Don't touch me, you _filthy _Firebender!"

And then, in one fluid motion, she stood up and ran, darting through the forest back towards camp. Away from the smoldering remains of the fire. Away from him.

Zuko straightened, standing still as he saw the blue figure disappear into the darkness. He slowly brought up a hand against his stinging cheek. It was turning numb now.

Of course he'd seen her hand coming. She had been weakened, tired from her bending. Her movements had been slowed by her exhaustion. She hadn't been quick enough to take _him _by surprise. He had known exactly what she was going to do. He could have dodged her. He could have easily grabbed her hand before it made contact with his cheek.

But he hadn't. Because he remembered the way she'd cried out in pain when he'd gripped her arm, probably hard enough to leave bruises. Because Zuko felt like he deserved it. Deserved the pain. So he'd let her hit him.

Zuko gazed at the small fires that struggled to remain alive despite the lack of fuel to burn.

_You can start fires, Zuko, but can you put them out?_

Mastering firebending was all about control, Zuko remembered thinking. She didn't know what she was talking about. He knew control. He knew the intense concentration it took to control every deliberate movement his body made, every breath that he took. He was always completely focused when he trained.

Zuko refused to think about what, exactly, had been distracting him when the fire had started to spread out of control. Instead, he walked over to the nearest fire and stared down at it. It was almost gone now. Nothing left but cold, dead ash that refused to burn. Zuko raised a foot and brought it down on the fire. With a sudden frenzy, he stomped on it until he put it out. Killed it. All that remained was the ash, gray smoke curling off it.

Slowly, methodically, Zuko went around to each fire and put them all out. When he was done, he looked around the clearing again to make sure that no fire remained. Then he walked over to the stream, crouching down next to it. Zuko cupped the chilly water in his hands and brought it up to his face, cleansing his skin of soot. The coolness felt good against his still-stinging cheek. He took some water and rubbed at the dirt on his arms. When Zuko was done, he stood up.

With heavy feet and a heavier heart, Zuko slowly walked back towards camp.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm so sorry for the late update; RL kept getting in the way. Maybe the two chapters make up for it? Chapter 8 was getting really long, so I thought it would work better split in two. I had a hard time writing this, but your reviews are definitely very encouraging, and they're seriously what keep me going. Thank you, and don't stop! 


	10. Chapter 10: Grace in the Aftermath

**Chapter 10: Grace in the Aftermath**

The tangy sea breeze was floating in off the ocean, teasing his skin and unlocking memories. With eyes closed, Zuko could almost feel, once again, the rocking motion of a ship beneath him, a feeling so natural and familiar that he was disappointed when, upon opening his eyes, he was brought crashing back into reality.

His fingers curled around a handful of the sleeping bag beneath him and clenched tight, his knuckles turning white. Ever since his little midnight rendezvous with Katara a couple of days ago, Zuko had felt a subtle shift in the dynamics of their group. Neither of the other two had let on that they knew anything, and Zuko still couldn't quite figure out if Katara had informed them of that night or not, but they were treating him differently, with a thin veneer of civility that churned with coldness beneath the surface.

Maybe they knew everything. Or maybe he was just being paranoid. Zuko willed his tense hand to relax, fingers loosening their death-grip on the thick cloth.

He wasn't averse to just _asking _Katara, but she had apparently decided to stop speaking to him. Oh, the silence had been welcome for the first couple of days, comforting armor that protected both of them, prevented them from having to talk about what happened. He'd been thankful that he didn't have to deal with the awkwardness and tension that clung to every electric glance, every accidental brush of skin between them.

But, all too quickly, her behavior had started grating on his nerves, making his blood boil in a mixture of anger mingled with resentment. She was _ignoring _him, dammit, and it made him mad. Mad because he was a prince and she was a peasant, and how _dare _she think that she had any right to pretend like he didn't exist, but more mad because he hadn't expected himself to care so much whether she talked to him or not.

Zuko shifted on his sleeping bag, crossing his legs and wincing as he brought his chin to rest in his open palm. Zuko had no idea what his face looked like, but he imagined that he probably had a small bruise on his jawbone. Absently, his pale fingers gingerly explored the patch of tender, aching skin.

Of course, the anger had only been the surface emotion, a shallow, flimsy shell for everything he'd tried to ignore. He had successfully maintained the anger at first, but it was all too hot, too unstable and volatile to sustain for long. The flood of indignant self-righteousness was soothing, made him feel justified, but eventually, the anger had fizzled out, and all that he was left with was the guilt—ruins of the fortress he'd tried to build. 

It lay on him like a heavy, heavy cloak he couldn't shrug off. He couldn't even pinpoint exactly what it was that was making him feel guilty. All he knew was that her silence just compounded the guilt, augmented it into a colossal wave he feared would swallow him whole.

At least Katara had finally consented to building a small fire. She still refused to come too near it or have anything to do with keeping it alive, but he was glad to have the light and warmth back, though it was meager compensation, at the most.

Zuko sighed and unfolded his long legs, stretching them out in front of him. He lifted his head with forced casualness, eyes coming to rest on Katara, who was sitting on top of her own sleeping bag, attention focused on a bundle of fabric in her hands.

The intensity of his gaze drew her, wrapped itself around her neck and yanked her chin up. The firelight played across her face, etching shadows into every plane and curve of her soft skin. Their eyes met over the crackling fire, locked in a gaze that lasted for two heartbeats. Zuko was struck by sudden longing—he realized he was starving for a word, a tiny upturn of the corners of her mouth, anything—

_Maybe she'll say something this time. It's been a couple of days… surely she must be tired of this game…_

Without a word, Katara broke eye contact and lowered her head, refocusing her attention on the cloth she held. Zuko kept his eyes trained on her dark hair, desperately hoping she would look up at him again, but she seemed completely intent on her task.

It was all useless.

Zuko growled, deep and low in his throat. He just couldn't win. She was irritating when she _was _speaking to him, but she was even more infuriating when she wasn't. He tapped his fingers against his thigh impatiently.

It was all eating away at him, nibbling on his brain and tearing huge chunks out of his rationality and sanity.

* * *

_Ouch. _Katara swore softly as she poked herself again with the blunt needle. It was all _his _fault. She could still feel his gaze on her, and it was unnerving. How was she supposed to focus properly on her mending knowing that he was _looking _at her like that, with an intensity and forcefulness that she had never quite felt before and didn't particularly like? 

She refused to meet his eyes again, to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was affecting her. Katara jabbed angrily at the cloth and bit her lip to keep from crying out in frustration as the needle found its way into the sensitive skin of her fingertips again.

"Katara? Are you okay?" Aang asked, sitting down next to her. Katara jerked, startled by his sudden intrusion into her thoughts. She laid down the shirt, at once relieved at the interruption and anxious about Aang's innocent question.

Was she okay? Had she ever been more _not _okay? Not for the first time, Katara wondered why she hadn't yet told Aang about what had happened that night she'd found _him_ in the forest. It was something he ought to know about, but one look at Aang's grey eyes brimming with concern was enough to break her resolve. She knew how hopeful he was that Zuko's joining their group would work out, and she just didn't possess the heart or strength to tell him about their… encounter.

Plus, she reasoned, the Avatar had more important, world-changing matters to worry about. Katara didn't doubt that Aang would gladly comfort her, but that was just the problem. A nagging feeling told her that she'd already forced too much attention onto herself, and Katara was determined to not be troublesome anymore.

"I'm fine, Aang," she replied, trying to sound cheerful for his sake. She noticed that she was twisting a corner of the shirt tighter and tighter, and she quickly let go of it, hoping he hadn't noticed. "There was just… another attack by the Fire Navy."

Aang swiftly drew in his breath. "Shouldn't we go back and help?"

Katara shook her head slowly. The last thing she wanted to do now was go back. "Really, Aang, I think the best thing you can do for them now is to master the next two elements. They'll be okay. The attack wasn't that bad, anyway." _He doesn't need to know_. She kept repeating the thought in her head, a mantra that wiped her clean, purged her of the guilt of her half-truths.

"So… nothing really awful happened?" Aang asked, a note of relief creeping into his voice.

"No. That's all," Katara repeated, as if saying the words again would make them true. She wished Aang would just drop the subject. _That's all. _A whole room full of sick and injured people had been set on fire and burned to death. That's all.

"Okay…" Aang still looked a bit doubtful, but he didn't press for more information, and Katara was grateful. "I'm glad you're back with us," he smiled gently.

Here was something she could answer honestly. "Me, too," Katara said softly.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence for awhile, the fire burning lower and lower until it was nothing but a few glowing logs and random sparks that went out as quickly as they burst into life. Aang climbed onto Appa's tail, and after awhile his deep, rhythmic breathing told Katara that he'd fallen asleep. Katara yawned and was prepared to crawl into her sleeping bag when _he _spoke.

"Liar," he said, his quiet voice loud in the stillness of the night. Against her better judgment, Katara sat up and, drawing her knees up against her chest, looked at him. He was staring at her again, that same, disconcerting gaze that twisted something in her heart and made her acutely aware of every single nerve ending in her body.

One leg protruding from his sleeping bag drew her attention, and her eyes traveled up the long, sinuous limb, up over the curve of his hip and the smooth expanse of his chest, the shadowed column of his neck, and then finally, his face. The moonlight had overtaken the firelight by now, and it dusted his skin with a silver blush that fairly made him _glow_, piercing amber eyes in the midst of it all.

Katara swallowed thickly, her heart suddenly beating faster as her eyes found his, the two of them locked in a stare heavy with unspoken words. Her mouth suddenly dry, Katara wrenched her eyes away from his. Without saying anything, Katara slipped back into her sleeping bag and rolled over, ignoring him.

Rage and disappointment rose in Zuko, a tangled ball of gnarled and knotted anger, and he clenched his fists to keep from making any audible noise. He had hoped that his accusation would get a rise out of her, taunt her into talking to him, but she was still hiding behind her little games. Zuko idly wondered if he would ever let her know just how well her silent treatment was working.

It was maddening the way she was never far from his mind. How she managed to claim that honor when she never said a word to him was paradoxical, or perhaps it was because she didn't talk to him that he thought of her so often. She was driving him crazy, the way he kept recalling the swooping curve of her eyelashes, the teeth that bit so carelessly into the redness of her lip, the slender fingers sliding over a cascade of dark, dark hair. She was even coming close to challenging the _Avatar_.

It made him angry. Hell, it made him _nervous. _He could find no logical explanation for why his thoughts of her were bordering on obsession, and he hated that he had so little control over his own mind. It was _his, _dammit, and Katara had no right to intrude where she wasn't wanted. The whole thing was absolutely unacceptable.

Zuko rolled onto his stomach and groaned into his sleeping bag. Figuring out that he was thinking a lot about the girl wasn't getting him anywhere. He'd already been quite aware of that part.

If only she would _say something_, then maybe he could just toss away all his guilt and worry, send them off wandering, and deprive them of the key that would allow them entrance into his heart again.

* * *

Katara cupped her hands over her mouth and breathed softly, trying to warm away the coldness of her skin. She sighed and rubbed at her eyes with her fingers. She couldn't seem to fall asleep, and his damn accusation wouldn't leave her alone or give her any peace. It flitted in her mind, fluttered and alighted on emotions she would rather not feel, and it wouldn't _shut up._

_Liar. _

She seemed to be pushing everyone away, isolating herself in a deep canyon of hurt she couldn't climb out of. She hadn't even told Sokka what had happened, though she knew he had his suspicions; it was painfully clear in the distrustful looks he reserved for Zuko and the way he seemed more protective of her than usual.

It wasn't about trust. She trusted Sokka. It was more that she didn't know what she would say to him because she wasn't sure about her own feelings. The questions would inevitably follow, and she didn't know how to answer them. Plus, the tension was so thick between the four of them that Katara was afraid to heighten the hostility between Sokka and Zuko.

Katara rolled onto her back, lacing her fingers behind her head. The night air chilled the tip of her nose as her thoughts wandered back to the night in the forest.

And the guilt attacked her again, hit her with such force that Katara's breath hitched. She gave in to it, let it seep into her veins and run through her body.

_I shouldn't have hurt him like that._

She'd been so _tired_, and he'd looked so _threatening_—but that was no excuse. As impossible as it was, hindsight now told her that his intent had been _comfort_, not harm. She had used violence unnecessarily, and it weighed heavily on her.

Well, he'd hurt her first. Katara reached up and winced as her questing fingers softly pressed down on the bruises encircling her arm. She couldn't see them in the dark now, but she knew all too well what they looked like—purple-tinged skin that she was grateful she could hide under her sleeve so that Sokka and Aang's probing eyes couldn't see. The arm ached to move and bend, but, as neither of them had asked her about it, Katara was fairly certain that she'd hid the pain well enough.

Still. His hurting her first didn't give her the right to physically abuse him. The whole thing made her feel slightly nauseous.

If she couldn't fix the lies she'd given to Aang, then she could at least fix this.

Ignoring Zuko for the past couple of days was good enough punishment, Katara decided.

_I'll apologize to him first thing in the morning. Then I'll feel better._

Conscience eased for the time being, she finally allowed herself to fall asleep.

* * *

Early morning found Aang shaking him awake while the other two were still sleeping. 

"I need to talk to you," Aang said forcefully. Wondering what the hell this was about, Zuko followed him a short distance away from the campsite. They sat down, face-to-face.

Zuko studied the Avatar. The blue arrow tapered to a point on the boy's forehead, as if directing him to the Avatar's large, grey eyes. It occurred to him how utterly absurd this was. He was sitting a mere two feet away from the one person who had haunted his every waking thought for the past two years.

And yet—Zuko was surprised by the revelation that the Avatar was actually a real, living, breathing person. He had hopes, dreams, and he felt sorrow and pain. To Zuko, the Avatar had always been a prize, the key to everything he wanted. It had never occurred to him that the Avatar might have his own goals and desires.

"I've noticed," Aang began slowly, "that there seems to be some tension between you and Katara."

"Is that all?" Zuko asked. Was that what the Avatar had woken him up to tell him? Any idiot could see that there was _tension _between the girl and him. Even the Water Tribe boy had figured it out. Zuko folded his arms. "I don't have anything to say—"

Aang held up a hand, halting Zuko's tirade before he could gather momentum. "I don't want to know anything. Just, whatever it is, I was thinking it would be nice if you could…apologize," he suggested. At the look on Zuko's face, he hastened to add, "Or just try and be a little nicer."

Zuko bristled. Was the Avatar really trying to give him _advice_? He definitely didn't need anyone's help, especially not with how he chose to deal with some girl.

He was about to point out that it was Katara who was the problem here, not him, but then he shut his mouth. Apologize? The very thought was laughable. But the Avatar was looking at him with such a hopeful, earnest look that he figured he should at least pretend to agree with him. "Sure," Zuko said tightly. "I'll try doing that."

"Good! Good," Aang repeated, looking relieved. He smiled at Zuko. "I'm glad we had this talk."

* * *

After the Avatar had gone back to sleep, Zuko tried doing the same, but an hour of restless tossing and turning was weakening his resolve to hold fast against apologizing to Katara. Zuko was beginning to wonder whether the Avatar's words weren't so ridiculous, after all. The guilt was simply overwhelming, and he was becoming more and more willing to try whatever crazy suggestion the Avatar had for relieving him of it. 

So he made his decision. He wasn't one to just sit around and wait for fate to play with him, toy with his emotions at will. He was the master of fate, not the other way around. He controlled his own destiny—he always had.

The thought of waking up Katara so that he could assuage all his troublesome guilt right then and there passed briefly through his mind, but he figured he should at least plan out what to say to her. He winced at the thought of standing before her, mouth hanging open and looking like an idiot.

Zuko quietly crawled out of his sleeping bag and made his way into the trees, following the gurgling of running water. He could deliberate over what to say while taking care of some morning business.

* * *

Zuko flicked his hands, excess water falling in shining droplets back into the stream, and turned back toward camp. Words raced through his mind, and leaves crunched underneath his footfalls as he walked. Lost in thought, he was startled when a red-ribbon hawk soared through the canopy and landed in front of him, folding in its wings. 

It turned, its beady eyes coming to rest on him. Zuko hesitated, unsure of what it wanted from him. The hawk ruffled its wings impatiently, and Zuko noticed a scroll tied to its leg. Cautiously, Zuko approached the bird and crouched down, hands shaking as he reached out and untied the parchment. Zuko stepped back from the gust of wind when the hawk, freed of its burden, suddenly flapped its wings and took flight again, rising out of the trees into the sky.

With trembling hands, Zuko pulled off the red ribbon around the paper and unrolled it, smoothing it out against his thigh. Steeling himself against whatever news the message held, Zuko lifted the parchment up.

He quickly scanned the letter, eyes flitting and cavorting over the dark splotches of ink. Then he read it again. And again.

The meaning of the letter sank in, and a sudden wave of lightheadedness seemed to sap him of strength, like the scent of ink and paper was a miasma, toxic and choking. Zuko stumbled back, giving his weight to the sturdy tree behind him. He caressed the paper as his mind raced, fingertips lightly tracing the dry, scratchy parchment.

_What am I supposed to do now?_

From the swirling mass of confusion and panic, Zuko plucked out and clutched at one thought: his guilt was absolutely ridiculous. He realized it now. Guilt was worthless, like sympathy and compassion and _love_. He was stupid—so s_tupid_—to have let the guilt command him, mold his thoughts and actions. He had been planning on _apologizing_.

Zuko let out a laugh, short and harsh. It rang loudly, slicing like a knife that silenced the birds in mid-chirp. How blind of him. He had let the guilt weaken him, had fallen prey to Katara's infernal silence, but now... he saw clearly what had happened, and he had no intention of letting the guilt tease and flirt with him any longer.

His breathing and heartbeat slowing down in minute measures, Zuko pushed himself off the tree and walked back towards camp, unconsciously crumpling the parchment in his hand. He barely noticed when the red ribbon fell to the ground, a scarlet scribble etched into the soft soil.

When Zuko arrived back at the campsite, he saw that Katara was already awake, perched on one of the boulders that littered the beach. She was facing away from him, out towards the crashing waves of the sea.

The rising sun outlined her dark figure in pure gold, making her body fairly radiate with amber light.

Slowly, she turned her head and saw him. She didn't move a single muscle, but Zuko knew, without question or hesitation, that she was waiting for him.

Her long braid flew out behind her, a beckoning banner that called to him. Or a whip, he thought, that could strike with dangerous and deadly precision, smart open wounds and make them bleed.

Something possessed his body, forced his feet into stumbling steps that brought him ever closer to her.

* * *

Katara waited anxiously as Zuko picked his way through the rocks. Slowly, she slipped off the boulder she'd been sitting on, her feet seeking the solidness of the ground. Katara thought she saw a piece of parchment clutched tightly in Zuko's hand, but as he neared, the paper disappeared. 

He came to a stop in front of her, his eyes raking across her face.

Heart thudding madly in her chest, Katara looked him full in the face for the first time in days. She saw, with a stab of guilt, that there was a dark patch of bruised skin along his jaw. Instinctively, her fingers curled as her hand clenched, fingernails biting mercilessly into her palm.

"Finally decided to talk to me?" Zuko asked, folding his arms across his chest. Katara cringed at the sharp and stringent tone of his voice. His face was impassive, his eyes unreadable.

"Yes," she said simply. She was running, lost and wandering, in the contours of his face, every dip and swell, desperately searching for a clue to what lay behind the stony, stoic visage.

"What makes you think _I _want to talk to _you_?" He spat the words out from between gritted teeth; they were clipped and unforgiving, poison-tipped arrows that penetrated straight through to her heart. Katara tried to tear her eyes away from the bruise that taunted her with every movement of his jaw.

"Nothing," Katara said. She shifted her weight to her other leg and bit her lip. Why did he have to make everything so damn _hard_? So maybe she'd been a bit childish in ignoring him. Well, she was here talking to him now, wasn't she? Why couldn't that be enough?

"Well?" he asked with an air of impatience, tapping his foot. "What did you want to say to me?" Hard eyes and disdain engraved in every line of his face. Had her silence really changed him _this _much? A flash of memory: he had been kind that night, almost gentle, wanting to comfort her and make her warm—

"Just—just that I'm _sorry, _Zuko," Katara forced the words out. Relief immediately flooded through her, and she felt a little unsteady on her feet. She reached out for the boulder she'd been sitting on, finding the hardness and solidity of the rock reassuring. "For hitting you. For not speaking to you."

And maybe her apology would spark _his_, and they could go back to the way they were before, before the tension and uneasiness, the hostility and edginess that was so mentally draining and made her heart ache.

Surprise splashed across his face; a single word dripped out of his mouth: "I…"

Hope was a faint, flickering candle, slave to the wind's whims—

"Like it matters to me if you're sorry or not?" he smirked.

—and utterly vulnerable, in the end, to a Firebender.

The silence stretched between them, the wind blowing a strand of hair into her eyes. She watched his chest rise and fall with each slow breath he took, avoiding meeting his eyes.

"Anything else you want to say?" he said coldly, breaking the silence.

Katara looked up into his dispassionate eyes. Unthinkingly, she reached out a trembling hand for his cheek; she wanted to touch the bruise on his skin, make sure it wasn't some hole through which his humanity and compassion were leaking away, because if it was, and _she _had created it, _she _was responsible—

He caught her hand and knocked it away. "Haven't we learned anything, Katara?" His expression hardened, and there was an almost savage bite to his mocking question.

His words stung and Katara reeled from the blow, but she quickly recovered, belatedly throwing up her own defenses. "Fine," she said coldly, with as much venom as she could muster. "Forget this conversation ever happened." She pushed past him and stalked away, resisting the urge to turn her head back to see if he was looking at her and what, exactly, could be read from his expression.

* * *

Zuko watched her go, all the while berating himself for not being able to tear his eyes away and cursing himself for hoping that she would turn around, spare him one glance. 

Spent from the fight--for it had been a fight, a desperate struggle to maintain the cool composure--he sank onto a nearby rock and rested his elbows on his knees, not caring when his arm scraped against a jagged edge. Zuko leaned forward until his forehead rested in his palms.

Traveling with them—with _her_—was definitely messing with his mind. Zuko couldn't believe that he had doubted, even for a second, his original plan to capture the Avatar.

His hand slipped into his pocket, fingers closing around the dry parchment.

The letter had been his savior. It had set him on the right track again, reminded him of what his duties were.

Once they reached Earth Kingdom shores, he would find the Fire Nation soldiers, find them and lead them to the Avatar. He had come too far to stop now.

* * *

**A/N: **I wonder what that letter said… 

In other news: two _weeks_? I am utterly disgusted with myself. Next update will come much faster, I hope.

What do you guys think? Am I going way too slowly? Reviews are the breath of life! Keep me alive, please.


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